Criminal Lives
by DeeKaui
Summary: Murder of a young, beautiful, wealthy woman.Detective Sano seeks the help of his friend Kenshin Himura, PI to help solve the case. Kenshin must decipher the blood trail to solve the murder mystery all before another innocent life is taken. Full summary
1. Chapter 1

**WARNING: **I chose to rate this fic M for a reason. It'll contain drug use, sex, violence, and profanity. It's a fair warning. I obviously don't advocate anything as this is purely fiction.

**Summation**

Set in the present day in the gritty paved jungle of New York City. There's been a murder of a young, beautiful, and wealthy woman. The police's trail to search for the killer has turned cold. Detective Sano Sagara seeks the help of his good friend Kenshin Himura, PI who's an ex-homicide detective to help solve the case. Kenshin must battle with his own demons as well as decipher the blood trail to solve the murder mystery all before another innocent life is taken.

**Main Characters**

**Kenshin: **29, ex-detective since turned Private Investigator.

**Kaoru: **22, daughter and business student of wealthy business family.

**Tomoe: **25, older sister of Kaoru.

**Sano: **28, Kenshin's ex-partner on the force and long-time friend.

**Megumi: **26, Forensic Analyst and friend of Kenshin and Sano.

**Misao: **21, Kaoru's longtime friend and school mate.

**Aoshi: **31, Kenshin'sfriend anddectective on the police force

**Saitou: **47, Kenshin's ex-boss and Aoshi and Sano's current superior on the police force. Married, two kids.

**Muraki**: Police Chief

**Miscellaneous: **The other cast of characters will be introduced as the story progresses. If I feel it's necessary for the story, they'll have a back story otherwise they won't.

**Authors Notes: **

Just reread the warning at the top if you must.

I will switch back and forth in at least this chapter between the narrator and from Kenshin's POV. Not sure if I'll continue that with other characters yet, but I'll let you know.

If an entire passage is in _italics_ it happened in the past. Otherwise if it's just one sentence _'in single quotes and italicized' _it's the character's thoughts.

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Chapter 1

**CRIME SCENE**

"_You stupid, stupid bitch!"_

_The sound of a slap reverberated through room followed by the thud of a body hitting the floor. _

"_I told you to stop this shit!" he screeched towering over her crumpled form on the ground._

_He got no response and bent down towards the person at his feet. He reached out and grabbed her by the wrists and pulled her to sit up and look at him._

"_Do you want to die?" he shook her. _

_No answer._

"_DO YOU WANT TO FUCKIN' DIE?" he screamed again._

_She was still mute. _

_One hand still bruising her slender wrist, he took his other and harshly held her face, "I don't want you to do this to yourself" he tried again his tone softer than before. "Do you want to stop? Do you want my help?"_

_She finally pulled her gaze from an abstract point and looked into his eyes, "Just give me my stuff and go fuck yourself" she hissed harshly, her face still within his tight grasp._

_A look of disgust passed through his face and he closed his eyes, still not moving from hovering over her. A few seconds later they opened, "You'll regret this."_

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Riiing, Riiing, Riiing… …Riiing, Riiing, Riiing… …Riiing, Riiing, Riiing

"Sano why are you calling my phone at" I peered over at the digital display of my alarm clock on the night stand, "10 o'clock in the morning on a Sunday you ass?"

My friend's annoying chuckle came through my cell phone, "Good Morning to you too sunshine. Why the hell are you still bed? There are crimes to solved, murderers to be caught…"

"Friends to be shot" I interrupted rubbing the crap out of my eyes.

"Now, now Kenshin, that's no way to talk to a friend. I think your only friend at that" the rooster-head chuckled.

"If you're done with your social call you bastard" I muttered, "I'll be going back to sleep now."

"Hold on a sec, actually this isn't a social call."

I knew it, I just knew it. What else would he want from me at 10 in the morning? It was too early to drink, for him at least, and he couldn't possibly have picked up a few good looking skirts already. Or maybe he had? When was the last time I got laid anyway? Fuck if I had to think about it, it'd been too long.

"What?" I snapped back sitting up in bed, my eyes still closed. I am not a morning person!

"I need you down here at a crime scene. It's by the docks in the city, call me when you're near and I'll tell you the exact location. Get a move on!" Sano quickly informed.

He knew I had no patience for any crap. Either get to the god damned point, or don't talk to me.

"What is it now?" I asked stretching while sitting up in bed.

"What else? Homicide. A body's been found in a garbage container" he responded.

"Male or female?" I asked still not opening my eyes. It was a part of my daily grind to deal with murders and other brutal crimes. By now I guess I'm just numb to everything.

"I can't say just yet. Whoever did it started a fire after dumping the body. Our victim has been burnt extra crispy."

"_What kind of answer was that?" _I thought. "Feh, fine give me about 45."

"You have 20" he answered.

"Fine, I'll be there in an hour" and without another word I hung up my cell phone.

I rubbed the crust completely out of my eyes and scratched the skin of my bare chest. After stretching and cracking the joints of my arms, wrists, knuckles, neck and jaw I finally opened my eyes to scan the room of my small one-bedroom Queens apartment.

My bedroom was a bit dusty at best: clothes thrown in the closet, books and files littering the small desk in front of the window. Yea, it's a shit hole. Ratty, worn wooden floors, old sagging mattress, walls with peeling paint here and there. A few mismatched lamps for light and a single window with shades. Curtains are for chicks!

I looked over at the wooden chair and saw my jeans and shirt draped over the back of it. My coat was on top of the table, covering the mess of paperwork and my shoes were somewhere on the floor. _"5 minutes in the shower and I should be good to go."_

I went to throw the rest of the covers off when my hand connected with something warm beside me. A bit shocked and still dazed from waking up, I looked over to scan the figure. She lazily turned from sleeping on her stomach and onto her side to prop up on her elbow and looked back at me.

"_Shit" _I thought, so it hadn't been that long. How drunk was I last night?

"Morning" she replied and smiled. Her lipstick was smeared all over her mouth, her eye liner smudged and her hair looked like a mess.

"_I hope she looked better last night" _I mused.

"You want to grab some breakfast or something?" she asked softly. The sheet slipped down her shoulder and exposed her bare chest. It took me a minute to see the purple/bluish marks I'd left all over her. I can honestly say that I'm a boob man and she had a great rack!

"_Right, right, the bar last night. That's where I met her. What's her name?" _I looked at the young woman besides me. Dark hair, dark eyes, tan skin, about 20-something. She was Hispanic. I think. _"Catherine? Kathy? Kate? Christina? Oh fuck who gives a shit!"_

"You gotta go" I informed her flatly.

Instantly her pretty smile disappeared and she scowled at me, "What? Why? You going out? Can I get a ride?"

I took a deep breath and stood up not remembering or caring that I slept in the nude, oh well. I gathered my waist-length red hair and gave her one last glance, "Get the fuck out. Oh and lock the door on your way. Thanks."

I grabbed my towel and clothing and walked out of the room. I could hear her cursing. Well I think it was cursing. She's definitely Hispanic, very hot if I remembered correctly from last night. Very curvy and filled out in all the right places. Damn I would need that shower soon.

I walked passing through my sparse living room: an old couch, a bulky 26 inch screen TV on top of a wooden TV cabinet. A few lamps here and there and more windows with shades. I never said I was an interior decorator!

My first stop was my tiny, cramped kitchen. It was more like a closet sized room off of the living room/dining room/foyer with an old fridge; a dish washer I never use and am assuming hasn't worked in years, a few cabinets on the wall, a microwave and stove. My only fully functional appliance was the coffee maker, which I instantly pressed the 'On' button for and walked back out.

Half way through my 5 minutes shower I heard my front door slam shut. _"Thank god" _I thought. I'm not really a bad guy or anything. Just that I think girls that get picked up by perfect strangers in a bar and then sleep with them on the first night really aren't looking for a relationship. Neither am I so the arrangement suits me just fine. Otherwise I think I treated her pretty well. If I remember correctly I paid for her drinks. See! I'm not a bad guy!

Am I against marriage? Not really. I like kids I guess, and they seem to get along fine with me. But not every guy is cut out for married life. So those of us that are smart and realize that don't waste our time.

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After practically creating my own lane in traffic by driving on the shoulder, I managed to get into Manhattan and arrive at the correct pier to meet Sano.

As I pulled up in my beat up, rust-ridden old Buick I could see the familiar flashing lights and neon day-glow yellow police tape. A few reporters had already gotten wind of the story and were setting up their cameras to report the scoop for the mid-day news. I hate reporters and news people. They're all a bunch of morons in my opinion.

My years on the force were filled with punching out one smart-mouthed reporter or another. I had sort of an anger management problem when it came to uncooperative suspects, witnesses, and people in general. I can't count how many times Sano had to cover my ass and bail me out. He's a good guy. We met back in the academy and he's probably the only one that can out drink me, although I'd never let him know it.

Right, I should probably make a mention here that I'm an ex-homicide detective for the NYPD (New York Police Department). It was a gritty and hard living, but it was a passion of mine. The only reason I left was because apparently it wasn't cool to beat known criminals to a bloody pulp for raping, stealing, and murdering. You see this whole judicial justice system thing really nips all of that behavior in the ass.

So eventually the fantasy of fight crime and putting away the bad guys was completely overshadowed by having to deal with slick lawyers and a system that could put criminals back on the streets in a matter of hours. I got tired of it and left. But I couldn't leave the business completely and decided to become a PI (Private Investigator). Sano stayed with the force and from time to time would require my assistance.

It was another paycheck I could use I guess, but more than that, I enjoy being back at the crime scene, trying to decipher the clues. Damnit, I sound like some no-life-havin' chump. No wife, no kids, no immediate, long-term relationship. Just me, myself and the occasional one-night stands.

"_Shit I feel like I need a drink already."_

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The redhead walked towards the towering figure of the spiky-haired, smart-mouthed detective. Standing next to him they initially said nothing and just watched the Crime Scene Investigators (CSI) collect evidence and whatever was left of the victim's remains form the garbage container and surrounding area.

"Any ID's found?" the shorter man asked.

"None. We can't tell if even if it's a man or woman. The fire burned unnoticed for hours it seems" he replied.

Sano led them to the container to a designated spot where the detectives could conduct their investigation. All other areas were strictly off limits as the CSI team collected every fiber and piece of possible evidence. A small two step ladder was at the side of the metal, rectangular garbage bin. It was type of dumpster normally found behind restaurants.

Kenshin peered inside and found that most of the inside was black and gray with soot. The garbage itself was either minimal when the body was dumped in it, or it'd completely burned up. The only remains of the victim were skeletal, left at the bottom of the metal dumpster. Kenshin took a few moments to study the entire scene.

"What else?" the red head asked wanting to get as much details and facts as possible. He stood besides Sano again, both watching the evidence getting collected.

"We got a call about 9:13 this morning reporting a garbage bin on fire here. The caller was a maintenance worker just getting in for his shift. 911 didn't think anything major of it, so the Fire Department was called. It was only after they put out the fire did they discover the source, the victim."

Kenshin was quiet for a few seconds after Sano had finished, "And the person that initially found the victim?"

Sano looked down at the small note pad in his hands, "52 year old James King. Lives in Brooklyn, took the train into work this morning. Married for over 30 years, father of 3 and was the first to discover the fire. His background check is clean, no prior records or arrests, just a few parking tickets but other than that nothing."

"In other words a dead end" Kenshin muttered.

"Not quite, we'll know more as soon as Megs gets on with the evidence collected" Sano smirked.

The two men saw as the photographer took several photos of and around the crime scene.

"So you're messing around with the fox-lady again huh?" Kenshin muttered.

Sano grinned not taking his eyes off the scene ahead of them, "We hung out a few times, kicked back a couple beers. Nothing to get yourself worked up over Kenshin."

"Who's getting worked up?" the shorter man turned to his long time friend.

Sano turned to look at Kenshin, "God damn man you look like all hell!"

Kenshin grinned, "Late night."

The taller man chuckled.

Kenshin's serious demeanor returned, "So why did you call me out here? It seems the boys in blue have this thing covered. You're just waiting on a few more pieces of the puzzle to fit together."

"This isn't what it all looks like Kenshin. Someone went out of their way to dispose of this body. I mean look at what we have so far-"

"Yea I know there's no blood evident so the murder took place somewhere else, the use of accelerants must have been quite large because the body is has no skin, hair, even nails, and the fact that whoever did this didn't close the container lid says a lot too" Kenshin interrupted.

"Why?" Sano asked perplexed.

"If the lid had been closed the lack of oxygen would've put the fire out. The fact that the perp knew the fire wouldn't be discovered even in the open means they planned this out to some degree. They left the lid open either knowing that the body would burn to ashes or just some lucky coincidence on their part."

"You don't believe in coincidences" Sano exclaimed.

"Exactly, but that doesn't answer my question. Why am I here Sano?"

"Why is he here Sagara?" came an icy question causing both men look up.

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So this is where the ice man makes his entrance. Aoshi, Sano and I all attended the academy together. Initially me and Sano were partners but after I left he was paired with Aoshi.

He's a good guy just entirely too stoic. It's a bit creepy and at first I never really saw him hook up any chicks. Of course I thought he was gay and while I have nothing wrong with anyone's preferences, I found out that that wasn't the case! Turns out the guy has plenty of game, which incidentally makes him cocky as hell. I mean me and Sano are cocky bastards too when we want to be, but this guy takes the cake.

I don't think he's ever had a serious girl friend, but then again I don't see what type of woman would actually put up with him. The man barely cracks a smile, like he's constantly got a stick up his ass.

But all in all, he'd dependable, smart and strong. A good partner is like an angel in the line of work that we all chose for ourselves. You've got watch each other's back in these streets or else you might be coughing up bullets. I talk like I'm a character from an old detective movie huh? Well that's because I grew up on those things and decided to join the force for that same reason. Although upon getting where I wanted to be, I saw that it wasn't really what it was cracked up to be, but never mind that.

I turned to him and cracked a grin, "Ice man."

"Kenshin I hate that name."

Does his voice ever change in tone? I can imagine him trying to talk dirty to a girl. Actually lemme' strike that from my mental picture!

"Sorry _detective _Shinomori" I responded intentionally stressing detective. "It seems your husband here got me up too damn early today for this."

I absolutely love giving these two hell. Especially Aoshi, it was interesting to see the different inklings of expressions pass through his stone face.

The man seemed to ignore me for the moment and turned to Sano, "Well?"

"Nothing yet. We'll have to wait on forensics" Sano replied.

"And I ask again what in the hell am I doing here?" I asked reiterating my question and getting a bit ticked off. I was in my nice warm bed, next to some big-boobed chick that I probably could've kicked back with until at least the evening, but instead I had to be standing here in the middle of some smelly pier in front of a smoldering oversized garbage can.

Sano instructed me to walk alongside him as he spoke. Aoshi followed behind us and we walked away from the scene and towards where our cars were parked. Sano kept his voice intentionally hushed and low, "We think there's more to this case than meets the eye, although it may be too early to speak" Sano started. "We received a missing persons report yesterday for a prominent, wealthy and well-known model slash actress."

"Model slash actress?" I asked dryly. "Come on you don't expect me to get involved in that sort of nonsense do you? One of the pretty people has gone missing and you call out the reserves?"

"_Shit, shit, shit! What the hell is this clown getting me involved in?"_ I walked cautiously along with them, contemplating on whether or not I should just jump in my car and drive off.

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**Don't forget to leave a review. Or I might just forget to post real soon! hahaha**


	2. FATEFUL

Chapter 2

**FATEFUL**

We'd decided to park my car at the police station and take Sano's cruiser to the location. I rode in the back while Aoshi sat in the front passenger seat. Sano had gone on and on about how some girl came in that other day frantic that her sister was missing.

All I could think as he was telling me the story was, _"What else is new?"_

Another robbery, shooting, murder, mugging, etc. It was all the trademarks of a metropolis. You had to take the bad along with the good although sometimes I struggled to see the good in the first place.

So anyway, Sano mentioned that we were gonna' go check out the missing girl's family and get a few statements from them. I didn't see the point again and wondered why he was sucking me into this investigation.

First off, the body at the docks wasn't even identified and probably couldn't be since it'd been burnt so thoroughly. Secondly, the missing persons report could just be another run around. I mean honestly, if it's a grown woman who has a respectable bank account maybe she just doesn't want to be bothered for a few days. Don't rich obnoxious people usually go away on spur of the moment vacations anyhow?

"Keshin you could use the cash neh?" Sano repeated after I asked him for the millionth time why I needed to be along for this ride.

"I'm not a god damn baby sitter to go and try to chase after some spoilt brat Sano!" I snapped back. I don't hate rich people entirely, I do hate celebrities though. Such a cocky and annoying group they are!

"Sit tight man, I think you can make a pretty penny off of this despite your troubles" Sano replied looking at me in the rear view mirror.

I said nothing and looked out into the changing cityscape. This morning I was in my apartment in Queens, then a smelly pier around blue-collared middle class people, and now we were driving through the ritzy, gold-paved streets of Park Avenue. I had to keep from snickering at the sight of some of them: completely oblivious to the troubles of the everyday working man and woman.

"So what's this about Sano? How is this related to the body at the piers?" I asked.

He looked at me in the rear view mirror, "I think it's our girl. Plain and simple."

"Plain and simple huh" I repeated crossing my arms over my chest, "you don't even know if the body is male or female. So why so quick to jump to an ID on it? And I'll ask you a final time why are you _really _getting me involved when it just looks like a _possible_ missing persons report and another murder case you guys can more than handle?"

Sano raised an eyebrow at my tone and knew he was treading on thin ice with me. _"Good" _I thought, _"He needs a fire under his ass otherwise he just doesn't get to the point."_

"We were put on the case by Muraki himself since the family of the missing girl has major pull in the city. After tracing her last known whereabouts we found that she took a cab from club Bungalow 8 with some unidentified male. Thankfully they called a local cab company and we were able to find the livery cab driver who dropped them off at another smaller, quieter place called Cielo down in the meat packing district."

"They took a cab when they could've walked. The clubs aren't far from each other at all. Bugalow's on 27th Street between 10th and 11th Avenue and Cielo is at 12th Street between Washington and 9th Avenue" I muttered earning a surprised glance from both men in the front.

I grinned back at them, "I know most of the bouncers in the city. I'm not a flake like you two."

Sano continued, "The driver said the two were pretty cozy with each other in the back seat."

"Any ID on the guy?" I quickly asked.

"Nope, the driver said the guy was wearing shades and a baseball cap along with the typical jeans and plain white t-shirt."

"Interesting, trying not get identified" I muttered in response while concentrating on the timeline of events. "Did they give you any times?"

"The bouncer at Bungalow 8 said they might have left around 1 am, but he's not too sure. The place was pretty packed and on top of which she was sequestered to the VIP section only. The cabbie's log indicates he picked up a female fitting her description along with the male at around 1:17 am and dropped them off at the Cielo at around 1:25 am" he replied.

"Alright so it seems that her date is our first point of contact as far as suspects go. And from the sound of his casual dress it seems he has as much pull as the woman, which is probably why he didn't get any trouble at the doors. So why do you think it's her?" I repeated. This was getting tiring and the ringing in my head from the previous nights' activities was finally beginning to annoy me.

"Well from the crowd in the Cielo they seemed to be enjoying themselves at first but she got heavily intoxicated not too long after arriving. Some people reported seeing them yelling at each other and she looked agitated for the rest of the evening. The club manager offered his assistance incase something was lacking, but said that her acquaintance refused. He didn't get a good description on the guy either apparently. We got the same story about it being dark, crowded and him wearing the shades and cap. The two left the club together around 3 am, no one is sure of the exact time. What happened after that we have no idea as of yet. We're checking security tapes to see if they were caught by any of the cameras in the area."

"Uh huh" I motioned getting irritated by the lack of clues. There were always clues to be found; you just had to know where to look for them.

Aoshi rummaged through some bags in the front, "Plus we found this near the dumpster where the body was discovered."

He held up a clear plastic bag towards me. I took it and saw a yellow gold ring inside. It had a large single sapphire stone setting and on left side the initial "T" carved into the gold while on the right side the initial "K". The ring was a pretty small size and just by the look it, seemed to be a females'.

"TK?" I looked up and handed Sano the plastic bag back.

"Tomeo Kamiya" he responded. "Missing since Saturday."

"Alright and my next question" I demanded.

Sano let out a sigh and turned his attention back to the road, "Saitou suggested that we get your help in this since the family is really leaning on the chief to get this solved. They're pretty powerful and have enough city and federal contacts to make our lives tough if we don't satisfy them."

"Yeah you already mentioned that" I waved my hand at him. I didn't really care for any of that, nor did I let it affect me. So Saitou has some pressure on him, so what? I'd left that hustle already.

"We're going to get a positive identification on the ring from her younger sister. She's the one that initially reported her missing" Aoshi informed me.

I sat back and watched the city in silence for the rest of the drive.

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Large, twin aluminum doors of the elevator opened to the pent house apartment. The three of us walked in casually behind the butler and he ushered us into a swanky looking sitting room.

The place was typical of what you'd expect to find in an upscale, filthy rich pent house suite in the middle of New York City: imported everything, paintings, antique furniture, sculptures and the whole nine.

A few minutes later a pretty, short and petite green eyed girl walked into the room. She wore simple black sweats that hugged her slender hips perfectly, and a short sleeve plain white t shirt. Her hair was neatly held back in a single braid that swayed from side to side as she walked. For a minute I could swear she looked like she was barely past 13.

"Hello detective," she motioned towards Sano, "you remember me. I came in with Kaoru to fill out the report."

We all stood to greet her and she first shook hands with Sano.

"Yes of course I remember you" Sano replied softly. "Ms. Misao Makimachi please meet my partner Aoshi Shinomori and Mr. Kenshin Himura."

I was next in line so I held my hand out as well, "Hello Ma'am".

Pretty simple huh? Yea, I hate small talk anyway. Besides that, I couldn't remember if it was still morning or afternoon. _"Damnit I'd still rather be in bed."_

The next one was Aoshi and I had to stifle a laugh when I saw how short she looked in front of him. But I have to give the girl credit because she looked him square in the eyes that rivaled the usual stoic look he had on. "Detective Aoshi Shinomori" he replied. He wasn't much of a talker either.

I saw her blush a little after shaking hands with Aoshi and immediately logged that observation away for a later time to pester him with.

The four of us sat down: me and Sano on one black leather couch, Aoshi next to me in an arm chair and she sat across from him in the other arm chair. A glass coffee table was set in between the seating arrangements.

"Has there been any progress in finding her?" she asked, concern written clearly across her face.

"Actually we came here to discuss just that Ms.-" Sano started.

"Please, call me Misao" she interrupted.

"Misao" he finished. "But we need to speak with someone of kin."

"Why is something wrong?" her tone grew slightly frantic.

"I think that will be better discussed with the next of kin" Aoshi replied stoically.

She was visibly shaken at his words. She knew full well that the tone in his voice meant nothing good. Sadly for her, she didn't know that he always sounded like that. I shot him a weary glance as if to say, _'Great work ice man.'_

He hates that nick name!

I saw her tear up slightly just as another voice caught our attention. I looked up just in time to see another young woman walking into the room.

"Misao? What happened?" came a soft voice.

She rushed into the room and gave a quick glance at the three of us before crouching down beside Misao.

She had the typical slender, but curvy-in-all-the-right-places frame and wore a pair of fitted jeans and a simple fitted blue t shirt. Her black, waist-length hair was falling over her shoulders as her bangs were covering part of her face. I mean, she was cute I can give her that much. But then again, there were hundreds of cute if not drop-dead gorgeous women in this town.

She gave the three of us an angry glare as she thought we were the cause of her friend's tears.

"What's going on detective?" the woman demanded of Sano.

Actually I should say woman-child. Despite a killer frame, pouty, full lips and serious tone she had an air of innocence and youthfulness about her. She looked so young and at the same time sounded so serious. I swallowed a lump in my throat at the sight of her and quickly pushed aside all stray thoughts. I was here in regards to a case and my job; nothing more.

Sano cleared his throat before replying, "Ms. Kamiya, I was just telling Misao here that we needed to give this information to the next of kin regarding Miss Tomoe's disappearance."

She said nothing and I could see the anger dissolve into worry and fear. For a second she glanced over me and Aoshi.

"Oh I don't believe you've met my partner or Mr. Kenshin Himura yet" Sano started.

"No, I haven't" she replied curtly. She rose from her spot and I rose from my seat to reach over and shake her hand.

"Kaoru Kamiya" she replied seriously looking me straight in the eyes.

I could respect people that spoke to me while looking me square in the eyes. I always had a knack for being able to distinguish when someone was lying to me or not. And the eyes would always give it away.

"Kenhin Himura, PI. Please call me Kenshin" I took her hand and shook it.

She said nothing else to me and only gave Aoshi a nod before diverting her attention back to Sano as I took my seat. She sat down on the arm of the chair that her friend still occupied and the two women grasped each others hands for support.

"Ms. Kamiya I have some bad news for you. We found a body burning in a trash dumpster at the docks this morning. We were alerted by an employee that works there" he hesitated for a moment.

"_Idiot!" _I thought. _"He never knows how to break bad news especially to women! Maybe that's why Megumi keeps him at arms length."_

I couldn't help but look at her. She took a long sigh as if to compose the rush of emotions hitting her all at once and cleared her throat, "And you think this is…" she gave him a questioning look.

"We're not able to identify the body definitely, but we have reason to believe it may be Miss Tomeo" he finished.

She paused for a minute and I observed her swallow a lump in her throat, "Then how?" she looked confused, "Did you find identification?" she snapped. She was trying her best to remain strong and composed.

"We did found this" Aoshi rose and handed her the clear plastic bag from his coat pocket. "Do you recognize it?"

She held the ring still inside the zip lock bag with both hands. Her slender fingers caressed the ring and I saw her tear up. With trembling hands she handed the ring back over to Sano.

"It's hers" she replied, her voice hushed and shaky from holding back the tears.

"I'm sorry Ms. Kamiya" Sano replied softly.

"It doesn't mean it's her!" Misao sobbed. "It's just a ring…someone could've stolen it from her. It means nothing!" she continued to cry as Kaoru wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

I could see her pain and anguish written across her face from her teary eyes to her trembling lip. I felt sorry for the girl; she seemed too young to be handling this on her own. Where are the parents when you them most? Where were they now? Why had she been the one to file her sister's missing persons report? There were still too many questions.

"Misao go inside while I finish up here okay?" she softly spoke to the still trembling girl.

It was a bit odd to see her friend break out into sobbing over the murder of her best friend's sister. Kaoru was visibly shaken but still she was far from the wreck Misao had become in a matter of minutes. The shorter young woman rose from her seat, wiping away her tears and walked out of the room.

Kaoru looked towards the glass table before focusing her attention back towards Sano. She looked a bit lost for a moment and I figured she was trying to gather her thoughts and emotions.

"We're doing our best to gather the evidence and Aoshi and I are heading down to our forensics labs after this to start the process of positive identification on the remains that were found. Kenshin will stay with you and ask more questions if you don't mind" Sano stated.

I would've snapped my head towards him in surprise over the statement. In fact I would've slapped him upside his big rooster-head for dragging me into this without as much as a word of warning, but my new client was looking me over.

So I simply nodded to her and she nodded back at me and Sano.

"Aoshi and I will see ourselves out. Please don't hesitate to call me if there's anything. You have my card right?" Sano asked as all of us rose from our seats.

"Yes. You'll-" she paused again, her voice shaky, "You're still looking for her right?"

Sano was at a loss for words. She looked up at him with those large blue eyes and for a moment I wish I could've told her that everything would be alright. But the possibility of her sister going missing, then us finding a burning corpse with her ring laying nearby, just wouldn't allow me to do that.

"We're trying our best and I can promise you that" he replied.

"_Good" _I thought, _"At least the moron hadn't screwed that response up."_

She lowered her eyes to the floor and looked up at him again, "There's still no proof that it's her right? I'll hold on to whatever sliver of hope is left." Her voice was soft but stern. Her words came out steady and yet laced with anguish.

Sano merely nodded, "But please don't hesitate to talk to Kenshin. He's invaluable and quite capable of answering any of your questions" he motioned towards me.

"_Fucking jackass rooster-head leaves me here like some…"_ I fumed.

"Thank you" Kaoru shook Sano's and Aoshi's hands before they exited the room. The asshole didn't even give me another look before walking out. He's gonna' hear about this later.

We were left in the room alone and she motioned for me to sit, "Please Kenshin have a seat."

"Thanks" I muttered before sitting down again.

"I'll have some coffee sent right away" she stated not sitting down. "Please excuse me for a moment."

I could see the tears welling up in her eyes, the hitch in her voice as she spoke to me. I knew the realization was finally hitting her and professionally I could do nothing to comfort her. As a detective I'd seen the pain in countless faces hundreds of times before. Mothers, fathers, daughters, brothers, wives, husbands, friends, etc.

She probably needed to cry but she didn't want to do it in front of a complete stranger, namely me. I nodded, "Sure take your time."

She didn't look at me again and turned to exit the room leaving me alone in silence.

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**Thanks to all my reviewers so far. Let me know if you find this at all interesting so far. **


	3. DETAILS

Chapter 3

**DETAILS**

I sat waiting for Kaoru to return and silently sipped my coffee in the mean time. What is the right amount of time someone needs to grieve? How upset should one be after discovering that they've lost a family member? Does everyone react the same way? Should they?

I pondered these questions while waiting for her to return. Again my thoughts went back to the countless times I had to deliver such horrible news to families and then see their horrified and shattered expressions.

For now, everyone who knew Tomoe Kamiya was a suspect. _"Innocent until proven guilty be damned" _I mused. The first forty-eight hours after the crime were the most critical in gathering evidence and talking to people. Memories fade and get altered, and evidence can be manipulated or destroyed.

I kept on mulling over the meager amount of facts I'd actually been given so far. Stupid Sano hadn't left me much to begin with except a frantic, scared and upset family member. She hardly seemed ready to handle such a situation, but to her credit, she was doing well so far.

"_This damn couch" _I sat and then readjusted myself on the slick leather for a hundredth time. The material was taut and so slippery that reclining meant you'd nearly slip right off the damn seat.

I put down my coffee cup and went about to stand up and sit a few times when I noticed a presence in the doorway.

"_Himura you're an idiot" _I groaned and turned around to face the person.

It was her; she stood in the doorway slightly perplexed at my fidgeting and angry grunts at the inanimate object.

I didn't know what to do. I stood there like a deer in the headlights not knowing if I should smile and laugh it off, or tell her how annoyed I was or perhaps just ignore that she'd ever seen a thing. She took the initiative and walked in the room.

"I'm sorry, those things are very uncomfortable."

She gave me a faint smile and I noticed the puffy eyes and red nose. She'd definitely been crying.

I still had no idea what to say to her. For the first time in a long time I had no clue what to say to a woman. _"When was the last time that happened?"_

"We should move into the other room. Please follow me." She led us out of the sitting room and down the hallway of the suite. I observed the walls, paintings, furniture, carpeting and floors. It was a habit and I couldn't help but scrutinize everything.

We finally arrived in a room resembling an office. "I think we can talk more comfortably in here." She motioned for me to take a seat in an oversized arm chair.

The room was inlayed with wood around the walls and looked almost like a library. Bookshelves lined the walls of one end of the room, while the other held a large wooden table. We sat near the bookshelves in the thankfully leather free furniture arranged for visitors. The floors were covered by rugs and dark wooden furniture peppered the floor plan. It was quite a contrast to the modern feel of the rest of the suite.

Kaoru sat on a small fabric couch across from the chair. Her posture was rigid, tense and her gaze affixed on the coffee table between us. I couldn't help but notice her regal features and mentally slapped myself to get focused.

I reassessed my surroundings and finally gathered my thoughts so to speak. What the hell was wrong with me anyway? She was just some young thing who'd lost her sister. And here I was looking at her up and down and shuddering from the syrupy tone in her voice.

"Ms. Kamiya, would you have a recent picture of your sister?" I asked in a stern, stoic voice.

She nodded and rose from her seat across from me. I trailed her with my eyes as she crossed the room and went to the large desk. I couldn't help but stare at the way her jeans fit her so snugly and hugged every curve. After all, I am a man and I do have a pair of fully functional eyes. But this was hardly the time or place and I told myself she wasn't my type. So I banished the stray thoughts and got on target.

After ruffling through the drawers, she made her way back to me and handed me a black portfolio. I looked up at her inquisitively. This time I could see that her eyes were slightly bloodshot and even accompanied by dark bags. She probably hadn't slept since discovering her sister was missing.

"It's her modeling portfolio. You can take it, we have hundreds of them" she informed me before taking a seat across from me once more.

I flipped open the book and immediately noted the porcelain beauty gracing the pages. Sano had failed to even show me a picture of the missing woman. _"Typical for that moron" _I noted to myself.

She was quite pretty, but looked a lot different than her younger sister. Where Kaoru had lively blue eyes, Tomoe had nearly pitch dark ones. Kaoru's face seemed made to hold a brilliant smile and exuberant expressions where her sister's was more melancholy and stone-like. The woman was beautiful yes, but it was a different kind of beauty; withdrawn, sad, and cold. The pictures were all of her looking indifferent, wearing haute couturedresses in regal locations. As if a mere mortal couldn't go up and even speak to her.

I looked up after flipping through a bunch of pages and placed the portfolio on the coffee table between us. Next I took out a small notepad and pen from my coat pocket and looked up at Kaoru. She looked a bit lost staring off at some unfocused point; her eyes were tired and sad.

"Ms. Kamiya-" I started.

She snapped from her thoughts and looked at me, "Please call me Kaoru."

I gave her a faint nod and continued, "Kaoru, tell me about your sister. What sort of person was she? What type of company did she keep? Any boyfriends or relationships she'd been in recently, things like that."

She took a breath, probably preparing to speak at length about someone whom everyone was assuming to be dead already. I purposely referred to her in the past tense. There was something I needed to test Kaoru on before moving forward.

"Well…" she paused and then continued, "She's a nice girl once you get to know her. Sweet, endearing and really helpful. I guess people just think she's a bit stuck up because of the whole model persona, but that's just her job. She usually hangs out at clubs, ah, I'm not entirely sure where since we really don't go together."

I wanted to ask something again, but waited for her to finish. So far she was passing the initial test.

"Boyfriends…" she looked at the coffee table concentrating or perhaps remembering.

"She sort of keeps her personal life to herself. I guess she goes out with a few people here and there, but she's never brought anyone home. All her calls are directed to her cell phone, so I wouldn't even know who calls her on a daily basis or how often."

"You two don't look too much alike" I commented, scribbling notes on the paper.

I saw her become slightly sadder, her eyes lowered on the table top between us again, "We're step sisters. My dad remarried after Tomoe's mom passed away."

"Any dissension as a result of that?" I asked looking up and not changing my tone.

She looked up at me slightly perplexed at my question, "No, never. My father never treated us differently and my step-mother never treated me poorly."

"Where are your parents now?" I asked. It had been bothering me ever since I saw her and Misao so upset over Tomoe.

"They're currently both away on a trip in India. They'd been planning the trip for months to a remote shrine at the peak of a mountain. Some spiritual journey my father vowed to take after attaining his successes in life."

She paused and swallowed the lump in her throat. I saw the tears forming again at the sides of her eyes. After a few seconds she continued, "We can't reach them by phone or telegram at the moment. I…I wouldn't even know where to start if I did speak to them…"

She stopped talking and quickly wiped the unshed tears from her eyes. I caught myself staring at her; she truly had the prettiest blue eyes I'd ever seen. Clearing my throat, I continued my questioning.

"When did they leave?"

"About a month ago. They were at a resort before they went on that trip."

"When are they due back?"

The young woman rubbed the side of her temple and concentrated, "Another few weeks. They plan on staying at the shrine and living with the monks there."

"_Who the hell leaves their kids alone to go globetrotting and trekking in some inaccessible area of the world?" _ I thought wryly. _"The richer people get, the crazier they become!" _

"Is your friend alright? She was pretty upset" I commented remembering the other woman's breakdown.

Kaoru nodded silently. "It's been tough for the both of us since Tomoe's been missing. My parents aren't here and Misao's been staying with me to help me. But the stress and fear just got to her. I've been in her place so many times already, but I can't act like a helpless, scared little girl."

She looked up at me through her teary eyes with a determined look on her face, "I need to be strong and do everything I can. For Tomoe's sake!"

I nodded, "I understand. What were her last known whereabouts?"

The young woman calmed down and went over the details in her mind. She'd probably given this statement before countless times. Once more wouldn't hurt too much I hoped.

"I saw her get ready on Friday night to go out. She said she would be out with friends and as usual didn't bother to tell me with who exactly or where in particular." I noticed her voice cracked slightly at those last words and she let her raven bangs cover her teary eyes.

After a few seconds I heard her speak again, "I…I wish I'd just asked…"

Her words came out in anguish filled spurts.

"If I'd only asked…I just let her go…I let her go…"

She began to shake slightly from the flood of tears and frustration. Her head bent down into her hands and she began to cry.

I was frozen in place and wondered what on earth to do in such a situation. _"So you have a pretty young woman bawling in front of you and she's distraught over her older sister being missing. What can you do to help her? What can you say?"_

Thankfully I had sharper wits than my dimwitted ex-partner and spotted the box of tissues on one of the bookshelves. I walked over, grabbed a few sheets and walked back to where she sat.

"Here" I handed the tissues to her.

She took them and thanked me. I should've retreated back to my seat a few feet from her but instead I stayed close by. She was entirely too young to be going through something like this with no more than another young friend by her side. She needed her parents, needed other adults, needed at least some kind of support.

After wiping her tears and gaining control over her emotions once more, she thanked me without making eye contact. I could tell she was ashamed over having me see her cry like that.

"Don't mention it" I responded in my softest tone. I couldn't help but be a bit harsh and brash at times. But a crying woman…god _that_ was always a soft spot of mine.

"Kaoru, who stays here with you two?"

She sniffled and answered, "It's just me and her. But she's usually away on assignments. I have my school and I guess Misao stays over sometimes as well."

"I'm guessing Detective Sagura already went through her room?"

"Yes they did and they removed a few things for analysis."

"Okay" I replied softly. She was trying her best to be as cooperative and helpful as possible. "What alerted you to the fact she was missing in the first place. You made the report yesterday, right?"

"She went out Friday night and didn't return home the next day. No matter what she always comes back home unless she's away on assignment or calls me to let me know otherwise."

Kenshin mulled over the facts and tapped his finger against his chin thoughtfully, "So she went out Friday night and you reported her missing yesterday. What time?"

He saw Kaoru furrow her brows to think. Stressful situations usually made details like that a bit shaky and he couldn't blame her. "Well I woke up around 8 am and noticed her bedroom door was still open. I just went by to see ifs she was in there and she wasn't. So I asked around the suite, called downstairs to the doorman and found out she'd never came home the night before. I tried her cell but it went straight to voicemail. I even called her manager at the modeling agency and they hadn't heard from her either. She has never done this, so my next action was to go straight to the police."

"You didn't call around to friends or family? Maybe she stayed over at someone's house?" Something wasn't making sense…

"She's never spent a night over at her friend's house and frankly speaking we're not close enough to any family members where either of us is willing to spend a night." Her voice smoothed slightly and I could see her getting herself together but still I didn't move from beside her.

I cocked an eyebrow at that statement. "Really? Why is that?"

"I don't know" she looked up at me slightly perplexed by my line of questioning. Also this didn't surprise me.

All she wanted was for someone to find her sister and not sit there pestering her over and over with the same seemingly pointless questions. "My dad was never the one to let us do that when we were younger and so it's just a habit. Besides, his policy has always been that regardless of where we go, at the end of the night we need to come home!"

I recorded a few lines of facts on my note pad and mulled over some of the details. _"She went out Friday night…wasn't reported missing till Saturday and IF that's her body they found, it wasn't found dead until Sunday morning. Where the hell was she between Friday night and being found murdered on Sunday morning?"_

I looked over at Kaoru again who'd started to cry silently. She kept muttering how she should've asked more questions of Tomoe before she went out. I began to feel sorry for the girl, which was bad on my part since we weren't supposed to make anything personal in this line of work. Sadly for her, there were still more questions than answers at this point.

"_Then again, I did quit a while back."_

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

"Megs come on!" the tall handsome man chased after the petite raven-haired woman as she walked around from behind her desk.

Aoshi sat quietly in the chair reading a newspaper.

"Get the hell out of my office Sagura!" she venomously replied. "What did I tell you about calling, seeing or even looking in my direction?"

"Oh babes…please?" he tried to sooth.

Aoshi shook his head silently and flipped to another page.

"NO!"

"It's for work! Can't you please just do me this favor?" Sano caught her wrist and spun her around to face him.

"If you don't get your hands off of me…" she gritted.

"What?" he smirked, "you'll call the cops?"

Aoshi wanted to groan in response to the overtly stupid answer. Of course she would call. She'd call Saitou directly if she had to and he'd chew both of them out over harassing her.

"Sano this is your second warning. I'll count to 5 and by then you'd better be out of my office or else!" She glared at him through her designer reading glasses. Her hair was swept up into a bun and she wore her lab coat over a pair of fitted dark dress pants and white button down blouse.

"Fox just hear me out, there's this case…" he started

"1…"

"We found this body set on fire in a garbage bin by the docks and…"

"2…"

"It'd been burning for hours I think because our guys barely got enough evidence from the scene…"

"3…"

"I think it's this missing girl, Tomoe Kamiya, and we have known samples of her DNA to compare it with…" his tone grew slightly frantic at her counting.

"4…"

"There's no one else that can tackle this case but you Megumi! Our guys are telling me that _you_ can't even lift a spec of DNA from the deceased much less any hair or fibers! This could put you on the map…"

"Fi- wait, no DNA?" she stopped mid count and looked up at him.

Sano wanted to let out a sigh of relief and quickly took out a few pictures of the corpse that had been developed already.

"Take a look" he handed them over to her. "No skin, no hair, not even nails! Hell the bones are so badly burnt they were saying that the marrow couldn't even be used for DNA extraction. We don't even know if it's male or female."

She flipped through the pictures, silently scrutinizing each one. "They? Hmph, what do your CSI people know anyhow?"

"Now, now Megs" he chided softly, "play nice with the other forensics people! You can't blame them because they're not as talented or as smart or beautiful as you…"

"Cut the crap! So you want me to take a look at it?" she snapped and moved away from his wandering hands.

"Y-yea of course!" he managed to recover and looked at Aoshi for help. Unfortunately for him, Aoshi was immersed in the newspaper.

She went around to her desk and sat down and he followed suite sitting down next to Aoshi. Megumi continued to go through the pictures again and again.

"Completely burnt…unbelievable what people do to each other…" she continued to mutter. "No hair left…"

Sano tried his best to secure the deal now that he had her attention, "Yea, it's a tough case right Aoshi?"

He looked over at his partner who didn't so much as flinch from the question directed towards him. Sano rolled his eyes and snatched the paper out of Aoshi's hand.

The man didn't change his expression and only looked up at Sano. "Yea."

Sano shook his head and looked back over at Megumi. "So? What do you think?"

She put the photographs down and removed her glasses before looking up at him and Aoshi. "How soon can you have the body here?"

Sano smiled, "I knew you wouldn't let me down. I can't wait to shove this in Kenny's face!"

"Kenny?" she looked at him with a renewed interest. "You mean Kenshin?"

"Yea" he replied in a low voice. He knew exactly where this was going. Every damn woman he met was always overcome by his friend's looks and style. _"Damn gold-eyed, red-headed woman stealing…"_

"He's working with you on this?" she asked excitedly.

Sano barely nodded and she immediately clapped her hands together and laughed, "Wonderful! Is he here? I haven't spoken to him in ages!"

Sango rolled his eyes again and Aoshi remained unemotional as usual. "No, he's not here. He's doing something for me at the moment. And you just saw him a few weeks ago when we all went out!"

"So?" she giggled, "you simply can't get enough of Kenshin!"

Sano growled slightly at the endearing way his name rolled off of her tongue. He stood up immediately and Aoshi followed as well, "We'll have the body sent directly here from the scene. Call me the minute you get something on it and I'll have some known samples sent over of our missing person."

Aoshi nodded at her and walked out of the office first. Sano followed after him but was stopped in the doorway at the sound of his name. He turned around to see her walking over to him, taking off her reading glasses and smiling at him.

"You know Sano, maybe I wouldn't have to go through such measures if you weren't so damn thick sometimes" she smirked.

Sano looked at her partially confused, "Wha-"

She cut him off, "Damnit Sano" she scoffed lightly and came up close to him, "if I have to spell it out for you, it's just no fun."

His gaze softened and he gently stroked the side of her face with his fingers, "How about we go out sometime soon? You pick the time and date and I'll pick the place."

She smiled sweetly, nodded and he stood watching her flawless face for a few more seconds before the burden of his work load came crashing down on him. "Later babes."

Megumi stood watching him walk down the hallway of the lab, smiling at his retreating form.

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**Special thanks to Neisha!**

**And another round of thanks to all my loyal, long time readers and reviewers! **

**I know I updated this after a longer time than usual. This was mostly a filler chapter for information and of course the love/hate interaction between Megumi and Sano. I think they're such a cute couple…the fighting is so entertaining!**

**Anyhow…the details unfold and not much action in this one. I want the mystery to unravel slowly and of course keep you guys in the dark until I decide to shed some light on the details. But that doesn't mean I like this chapter. In fact so far, it's my least favorite chapter in this fic. I've been trying to edit, scrutinize until my eyes have gone blurry and in the end it's still not up to my standards.**

**Until then, let me know what you think.**


	4. RINGING

Chapter 4

**RINGING**

_He sank to his knees as an exasperated shriek erupted from his throat. His body was bruised and sore from ducking around in the shadows and hiding from the world. _

"_FUCK!" his fists crashed onto the smooth hard wood floor and he began to bawl uncontrollably._

"_Why…" a drawl escaped his dry, cracked lips._

_No one would be capable of consoling him and trying to sooth his emotions. He'd closed himself off to everyone in his life a long time ago._

"_I TOLD YOU TO LISTEN TO ME!" he screamed to no one in particular. His hands were still clenched into tight fists as the knuckles turned nearly white._

_He raised his head after a few moments, and sat on his knees. The dingy shirt and dirty blue jeans he wore reflected his disheveled state. His short hair was tangled and matted, reflecting the fact that he hadn't showered in days. _

_Tear stained and bloodshot eyes scanned his shaking hands with disgust. "I…I did it" he mumbled to himself not taking his eyes off of his hands._

"_I did it" his hands began to shake profusely as another flood of raw emotion overwhelmed him. _

"_You look like you could use a drink" a deep voice broke in._

_He looked up in shock from his alcohol and drug fueled haze to seek out the owner of the voice. Trying desperately to focus his vision in the dimly lit room he called out to the other person._

"_Who is it?"_

"_Now, now kid" a tall figure emerged from the shadows of the room as of it'd simply atomized out of thin air, "you couldn't possibly have forgotten me already could you?"_

_The figure was just visible enough for the young man to know where the intruder was standing, but still incased in the shadows so that his face couldn't be made out._

_The frantic man stood up from his place, wobbling and nearly falling again in his attempt to do so. "What the fuck do you want?"_

_There was a deafening silence as the shadows served no response to his question. _

"_DAMNIT I ASKED YOU A QUESTION!" the young man barked. His voice was beginning to show the terror forming in the pit of his stomach. Even in his state it was all too clear why the man was there._

"_There's only one reason why I visit" the gruff voice replied in a mocking tone._

_Within milliseconds of the response, the darkness closed in on him and not even a scream was fast enough to escape his throat. The splatter of blood-drops hit the wooden floor in a uniform sheen. _

_Turquoise eyes stared vacantly into the darkness surrounding him as a final gurgle automatically gushed from his bloody throat before his body hit the ground._

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

Riiing, Riiing, Riiing…

"Mmmh…"

Riiing, Riiing, Riiing…

"Fuck!" I grumbled reaching for the phone.

Riiing, Riiing-

"What?" I snapped grabbing the phone from my bedside.

"Still not a morning person I see" came her coy voice over the phone.

I let out a deep breath to dispel the rest of my annoyance at being woken up prematurely in the morning for the second time this week.

"But I see you're up bright and shiny doctor. Tell me, what's the occasion for this call?" I replied.

I lay back on the bed and began to rub my eyes, keeping them closed from the offensive morning sunlight.

"Well this isn't a social call" she replied. I noted her voice was still smooth as silk.

"Of course not, why would you call me unless it was regarding business. This about the rooster?"

"Actually yes and no."

"You've never been the one to talk in riddles Megumi. What's going on?" I asked seriously.

"He brought in a body earlier this week for identification" she started.

"Yea, charred remains of possible missing persons. Any progress on identification?"

I looked over at the alarm clock, _"Damnit it's only 9:21 am."_

"Not exactly. I've tried to employ various forensic tests on the remains. The body was burnt so badly I can't even inspect the pelvic bone to distinguish it as male or female. There's no hair, no nails, obviously no skin for finger prints, nothing!"

"And the bones?" I asked.

"You know me better than that Kenshin" she feigned hurt, "I've already tried all that. They're just too badly burnt."

She sounded frazzled and for Megumi to be baffled by a case, I knew this meant a possible dead end for us.

"Is there anything else we can do?"

"I may have something but I'll need more time."

"You told Sano about this?"

"I tried calling him" she hesitated slightly and I noted the strain in her voice, "but he didn't answer."

I let out another sigh. If there's one thing I hate, it's getting involved in relationships, especially other people's relationships. I don't want to be anyone's shoulder to cry on, or the go-to person for information on their partner, hell, I don't even want to know what's up in their personal lives. But these two always had a way of getting me involved.

"He's probably just knocked out sleeping. It _is_ early" I replied trying to sound as level headed as possible. Matters of the heart always have a way of making people irrational and just plain stupid.

"Yea" she muttered and seemed to perk up again, "So I have known samples of Tomoe Kamiya's DNA already synthesized and on file. As soon as I can get a workable sample off the corpse, I can do the electrophoresis and comparison."

Working in the force for as long as I did and making friends like Megumi, a noted forensics expert, I picked up on the terminology that was thrown around so often.

"Alright, keep me updated. I'll check in on shit-for-brains."

She chuckled slightly, "You know you two should play nice."

I smiled slightly, "I didn't know you'd be so protective of him."

"Wha-no…I meant that…"

"Keep in touch Megumi. Talk to you later." I promptly hung up the phone at the sound of her hollering my name in irritation.

I really didn't mean to be such an ass sometimes, but she did disturb my sleep and she knows that I'm definitely not a morning person.

I groaned and flip-flopped in bed several more times before finally deciding my sleep had been irreversibly interrupted. After another round of curses, I made my way into the kitchen for my morning cup of coffee.

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

Riiing, Riiing, Riiing…

"You've got to be god-damn kidding me…" I cursed while rinsing off the soap in the shower.

Riiing, Riiing, Riiing…

I quickly dried my hands on the towel and without really wrapping it around my waist, rushed out of the bathroom to find the ringing phone next to the coffee maker.

"Yea?"

"You're up? What time is it?"

"Too damn early for me and late for you. Where've you been?" I snapped taking a sip from the still slightly warm coffee.

"I didn't realize I needed to check in with you dear" he mocked back.

"It's not me you have to check in with rooster-brains, it's your girlfriend who then calls me to complain" I snapped back as the caffeine sharpened my senses.

There was a short pause on the other end before a classic chuckle, "Women…"

"Yeah" I muttered securing the towel around my waist and then walked over to the dingy old couch. "You talk to her?"

"Why do you ask Dr. Phil?" he asked sarcastically.

I was a bit shocked at his sudden defensiveness, _"Snippy I see…"_

"Actually she had some news about the corpse."

He let out a defeated sigh, "Yea she told me. If she can't do anything with it, what then?"

And there it was. I dropped my head back against the couch and pinched the bridge of my nose in exasperation. Every single time they came to a dead end, there was one resort left, ask Kenshin.

As if I could pull the damn evidence out of my ass at any given moment. But with the size of my ego, I was never the one to back down from a challenge. _"Damnit all…"_

"She said she had something else she was going to try" I reminded him. "Let her work on it and in the mean time, we need to concentrate on hitting the pavement and finding more possible witnesses. Someone must've seen something. There're thousands of public security cameras that could've caught her that night."

The 'old style' of detective work may be tedious and slightly time consuming, but it often times produces effective and solid leads a computer just couldn't match.

"And the family. We haven't yet exhausted all the leads on that front. Friends, ex's even her family members" Sano added.

I grunted my approval and saw her face in front of me again. She was understandably upset about her older sister; scared, confused, angry. She had every right. As it was now the investigation wasn't going well. She wanted to believe that corpse wasn't her sister. But with a lack of crucial information and the days ticking by with no signs of Tomoe, the situation was bleak.

**Flashback**

"_Kaoru take my card and call me at any time if you should be contacted by her or anyone that has information regarding her whereabouts." _

_I'd handed my card over to her trying to leave her with some words of comfort, even if I didn't believe them myself. Sano was damn near positive that the charred remains were Tomoe. She shakily took the card from me and nodded not even attempting to put on a brave smile. Maybe deep down she knew too._

"_Thank you."_

"_Call me if you should remember anything, any small detail, it doesn't matter the time" I instructed again._

_She nodded and walked me out of the suite. I nodded at her and gave her a genuine look of sympathy. I felt her grief and was honestly sorry for her loss. _

_Poor kid, she had no one at the moment. Her friend seemed just as broken up about the loss and probably was no useful comfort to her. The parents were away, aunts, uncles, cousins; she didn't seem to have anyone._

_I shook my head free of those mundane thoughts as I walked to the nearest subway. None of that was my concern or my problem. As always this was just another case and she was just another name. _

"_Yeah, just keep telling yourself that Himura" I snickered to myself as I continued to walk._

**End Flashback**

"Kenshin!"

I was shaken from my thoughts at the sound of his voice coming through the phone.

"Yea…"

"Any more useful information from the sister?" he asked.

"Not really. She was still visibly upset though so I'd give her more time." I was a bit disgusted even at myself over the tone of sympathy in my voice.

"Ah, okay" came his sarcastic reply. "She's a looker though huh?"

I could just picture the annoying grin spread across his face at the moment, "Good bye Sano. Call me if you ever make a major break through. In the mean time, I won't hold my breath."

The line was disconnected with that last parting statement on my behalf.

"Ass…" I muttered sitting back on the couch, still clad only in a towel.

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I poured over the files of information released to me by Sano. He said it took some convincing on Saitou's part to let someone outside of the force to get access to confidential police files. But in the end if they wanted the case solved anytime this century, they just needed to forget paperwork protocol and give me what I asked for.

Basically everything about the family's history was laid out in neat manila folders. Parents' background; education, business history, bank account information, even traffic violations from 30 years ago.

"_Father seems like the typical successful workaholic. Bank information seems in check, nothing suspicious. Lost a wife shortly after Tomoe's birth, death doesn't seem suspicious. Especially since he didn't need the life insurance policy. So he remarried, had another baby girl."_

I paused again when I came across her name written down on the tab of the folder.

"Kamiya, Kaoru" I mumbled to myself.

After flipping through the paperwork, I came across some notes Sano had taken on the young woman along with public information that's accessible if you know where to look.

"_Current Business Management student at NYU. Model student, daughter, sister, and friend. No known enemies. Not even a damn traffic violation. Gees."_

I'm not sure why I was so intrigued by her. She was pretty, but again, I was never in shortage of pretty women. I'd neglected to get an age on her and wondered just how much younger she was than me. Pretty soon my fingers were automatically flipping through the file paperwork trying to find the information.

Why am I so wrapped up with her? Her friend barely looked 15! But then again, how many 15-year-olds are enrolled in NYU? What the hell is wrong with me?

Her delicate features danced in my head and I began to feel like the biggest chump for letting some strange young girl do this to me.

I slammed the file shut causing some paperwork to go flying about the desk and racked a hand through my hair. I looked over at the time. It was past noon already and I'd spent the entire morning picking apart their files.

After a few minutes of telling myself to get more focused, I decided to recharge myself with some fresh caffeine. Before walking out of the room and towards the coffee maker, I noticed a stray sheet of paper on the floor.

It was a part of her paperwork that probably flew out after my abusive handling of the file. A particular number ignited my interest and I had to let out a short chuckle, _"She's 22."_

I fixed myself a cup of coffee, but didn't even concentrate on anything I was doing. It wasn't until I took a deep sip of a scalding hot liquid and immediately spat it back out, that I realized how wrapped up I was with her.

Riiing, Riiing, Riiing…

"Shit" I cursed just as the sound of my cell phone reverberated throughout the apartment yet again.

"DAMNIT" I rushed towards my room for the ringing phone.

"_I'm so damn popular today" _I reached for the phone and for a change actually looked at the caller ID.

Riiing, Riiing, Riiing…

"Private of course" I scoffed at the phone before flipping it open and answering.

"Hello? I asked highly irritated. The incessant ringing and ringing of the phone today was really driving me crazy.

"Kenshin."

"Yea?" I replied settling in the wooden chair.

"Anything of interest in the case files?"

"Nope" I sipped the coffee more carefully this time. My tongue still tingled and burned from the previous sip.

"Well since you're home doing nothing and still on the clock, come down to the station. We'll go over a few things and also check in with Megs."

Up till that point I was thinking if I should give him some hell and those 'doing nothing' and 'on the clock' comments gave me the prerogative to do so.

Sighing nonchalantly I reclined back in the chair, "Yea, she really does start to miss me when I don't see her."

There was a sudden void of conversation from the other end.

"Asshole."

I chuckled before answering, "I try Sagura. Anyhow, I'll be there shortly. I think I'm getting cabin fever sitting here going through paperwork all day."

"Whatever."

With that he hung up and I laughed flipping my phone shut. Making him squirm always seemed to lighten my mood. I decided I needed more of that and began to slip on my shoes.

It'd been entirely too long since I'd visited the boys at the precinct and I could certainly use the distraction from certain details at the moment. I gave her file another glance before grabbing my keys and walking out of the room.

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

**Thanks to all for the great reviews. To **Anonymous but very interested**, I loved writing the Meg and Sano scene. Their fights are always so entertaining! As for Kao and Ken...well time will tell, but I don't see how she could end up with anyone else neh? And as for Kenshin sleeping with other women…well it just adds to the particular character I'm portraying him as in this fic. Besides, why does Kaoru always have to be the virgin all the time anyhow?**

**Anyhow thanks again to all of you out there for reviewing. I initially wanted to give you some sort of a fair warning on what's to come in this fic, but honestly I think "THIS IS A FAIR WARNING" is enough of a warning. **

**LOL…I don't want to give too much away and I want to remind everyone that this may get extremely out of character for some of the players in this fic. That being said: don't hate me because I'm evil. Hehe…hope you enjoy it!**

**Also…just to let ya'll know I'm going on my summer vacation for a few days (2 weeks to 20 days; we're not sure yet). We leave July 27 and so I wanted to repost before I left. If I don't immediately reply to your reviews, don't kill me! But please do leave reviews! **

**And just to give you guys a bit of an incentive to keep up…I've already written chapters 5 and 6 for this fic before leaving. I'll post them when I get back! Hasta Pasta!**


	5. A FRIENDLY SPAT

Chapter 5

**A Friendly Spat**

"KENSHIN!" the brunette woman crooned and ran towards me. Her pretty face glowed with excitement and joy over seeing me.

I gave her smile and hugged her back as she nearly squeezed the life out of me in her embrace. I looked over at my one-time partner who looked as if he wanted to beat my brains out at the very moment. Aoshi was silent and stoic as ever, pretending as if he didn't see anything.

I merely smirked and hugged her again before finally pulling away and looking into her eyes.

"How are you doctor?"

She feigned a pout and put on her best impression of a scowling 5-year old. "Kenshin! You don't ever come and visit me and I told you not to call me that! It sounds so formal!"

Her arms were still casually draped around my neck as she spoke to me, and as much as I loved lighting a fire under the rooster's ass, I had to admit I was growing uncomfortable.

I should clear this 'relationship' up before we continue. You all probably have the wrong idea about me by now. You see, I may be a bit of a short-tempered jerk, but not such a big one who'd actually steal my best friend's girlfriend of sorts.

We've all known each other for years and met at the beginning of our careers. Megumi always fought the 'bad guys' on the medical front, providing irrefutable DNA and forensics evidence that would help us put the freaks away for a long time. Well, at least we hoped for as much.

Anyhow, to answer the question that you're all probably pondering, no, me and Megumi never had a thing and never will. She's a classic flirt, always has been, and I'm sure I'm not the only guy she giggles around.

She and I only share one desire, to turn my idiotic former partner's life around. The last thing I want is for him to end up anything remotely like me. A divorced womanizer with nothing more to do than work 24 hours of every single day.

I figure the only reason she flirts so hard is to get him to hurry up and commit since he seems to be taking his sweet time. And that's exactly why I play along sometimes. That and the whole part about me loving the look on his face whenever we do flirt. But Meg's is far from anyone I'd be interested in.

So anyhow, back to the situation at hand. After sitting around the precinct and catching up with some old acquaintances, Sano instructed we'd be heading down to the lab to look at 'something else that came in.'

Of course I was peeved at being kept in the dark again until we got there.

"So what're we here to see?" I asked looking at Megumi and then at Sano.

"Another corpse came in" he muttered before starting to head down the hallway.

"Hey wait, you need clearance for the morgue" Megumi yelled and ran after him.

"_Unbelievable" _I shook my head as Aoshi and I followed after them, _"we're working on a kidnapping/homicide case and these two are still acting like high schoolers."_

"What's this about Aoshi?" I asked as my curiosity got the best of me.

"We think the corpse is the last known contact of Tomoe Kamiya based on the description and some photo evidence."

I knitted my brows in slight confusion and even more anger at the answer. There'd been a break in the case and for some reason Sano had failed to tell me sooner.

"Photo evidence?" I inquired.

"Surveillance footage that was taken of the pair as they exited one of the clubs."

At least I could count on _his_ straight forward and honest answers. The only problem was one always had to ask Aoshi the right questions. He wasn't the type to divulge more information than you inquired about.

"Since when has the NYPD been aware of this?" I asked letting my frustration and anger be known to him.

He looked at me out of the corner of his eyes as we walked along and for several moments and didn't say anything.

"_Stupid Sagura. What's the point of involving me if he's just gonna' act like an asshole-wait! Don't tell me he's peeved at the whole flirting thing…damnit to hell!"_

"Body was found by his house maids this morning."

"_Fuck! He let me stew over case files while he was off investigating a break in the very same case!" _I fumed.

Just then we reached the end of the corridor and our conversation ended.

Megumi stood holding the door open for us, and Sano was already inside the chilled room.

We walked in and I had to control myself from knocking Sano out. Megumi went over to a wall of what seemed like file drawers, but we knew better. She tapped her clipboard with her pen and read the name aloud.

"Yukishiro, Enishi" she said and went to the correlating drawer.

After a few moments, we came face to face with a young with shaggy white hair. His throat had been slashed but someone saved him the displeasure of a full decapitation. The gash was deep, from ear to ear and the rest of his pale skin was unmarred.

"Well we certainly know the cause of death" I replied not in the least bit disturbed by the scene of a gruesome death in front of me. He was after all just another face at this point. And admittedly I was more than miffed at the moment for other reasons.

I glared at Sano, "So he's the boyfriend?"

"Not sure yet" he replied.

I felt the blood in my veins turn to liquid fire and had to clench my fists from knocking him out. _"Still not answering the questions completely. What's with him? Right from the beginning of this investigation he's been acting like he's hiding something from me. So why ask for my help in the first place?"_

Megumi probably sensed the tension building between the two of us and as usual Aoshi decided to stay out of it.

"We have something else to discuss boys. Follow me" she instructed and led us out of the room.

My mind was screaming for me to just walk out of the place, forget this profession and forget this investigation. Yet my wounded ego paled in comparison to the fact that there was one person that seemed to depending on all of us to solve this case. She'd lost a sister and needed to believe in us to get results at a time when she was the only one holding herself up.

"_Damnit what am I thinking?" _I chided as we walked into the elevator. _"I need to stop this nonsense over her. Just focus Himura, focus on what's in front of you."_

I looked up from the floor of the elevator, allowing my hair to uncover my eyes and saw Sano's back to me. Megumi stood beside him and Aoshi beside me in the small stainless steel elevator.

"_That's right asshole, you've got some explaining to do"_ I reassessed the situation as the lift came to a halt and the doors parted open.

We walked to Megumi's office and she took a seat behind her desk. Sano sat down in front of her, Aoshi next to him and I chose to stand by the windows, looking out into the late afternoon sky.

"Working late again Dr. Takani?" I mused by the window-side.

She smiled and sighed, "Well you boys certainly know how to keep us busy with more work! And quit calling me that!" she snapped.

"Tell us about the progress of the first unidentified Jane Doe corpse" Sano interrupted. His voice was void of any immediate emotion, his eyes cold as they looked seriously at Megumi. It was indeed a confusing sight to see him like that, but I'd seen it before.

"_So the little rooster is angry at me" _I thought bitterly content. Yet I felt slightly remorseful over making him angry in the first place by using Megumi.

The room was tense and Megumi cleared her throat before grabbing a folder and flipping it open on her desk.

"Jane/John Doe, File Number blah blah blah" she scanned the paperwork. "Ah, here it is: After extensive testing of the corpse, there is inconclusive evidence of its identity and sex. More testing is required."

"_What the fuck!" _I gritted my teeth.

"Another set of tests that lead to nowhere" Sano was the first to speak. "Anything found from the bags collected from the Yukishiro crime scene?"

He almost seemed to be snapping at her if I was right.

She looked at him seriously, "We're still going to through everything with a fine tooth comb, but whoever did this was evidently clean and methodical about it. My lab techs are telling me there's nothing worth-"

"We need something" he interrupted sounding cold as he rose from his seat.

"We're doing the best we can with what we have Sano" Megumi reasoned seemingly unaffected by his demeanor, but I knew better. I could see the swirl of emotions in the brown eyes.

He headed towards the office door, "Call me if you get a break. Do whatever it takes, I need results."

Without another look or word to her, he was gone.

"Egotistical, asshole…" she muttered. It was comforting to see that she wasn't like most women who'd break down into a fit of tears if they're boyfriends behaved like assholes towards them once in a while.

Was it stress that was getting to Sagura? The family was well-connected in town and who knows, maybe Saitou was getting on him about solving the case. Still…there's no reason why he's withholding so much information.

Aoshi nodded at her in courtesy and walked out as all 'official police business' was concluded.

I walked over in front of her and gave a comforting smile.

"He can be such a jackass sometimes" she muttered.

I continued to look at her straight in the eyes, "Maybe you should rope him in already. All this back and fourth crap is really straining on everyone you know."

She looked a bit shocked and slightly miffed at my comment/suggestion, but quickly thought it over.

"I don't know, why doesn't _he_ say something?" she snapped

"Why are you waiting if you already know how he feels?"

"I…I…" she stammered

"You're scared too, I know" I continued, "Just don't wait forever Megs. Sano is a good guy, no matter how big of an ass he comes across as sometimes" I added to lighten the mood some. I hate being so damn serious all the time!

She didn't have a response to my comment.

I walked to the door and turned one last time to face her, "No more games huh?" and walked out.

Moments later I walked up to Sano and Aoshi as they leaned against the police car we'd arrived in.

"I need you to go to the Kamiya residence and speak with Kaoru again. Ask her about this Enishi fellow. If she's ever seen him around Tomoe before-"

"Why the hell didn't you tell me about this little break sooner?" I snapped before he could finish. He was spewing more instructions at me as if I were one of his cronies, which only caused me to get angrier.

"Because it didn't immediately involve you Kenshin" he replied with a certain amount of emphasis on my name.

Aoshi remained silent leaning up against the car.

"Didn't involve me? What the fuck Sano!" I snapped.

"Just what in the hell are you bitching about Kenshin?" the volume of his voice increased slightly.

"I am talking about the fact that _you _brought me aboard this case without telling me everything I need to know. And even when another body is found, you still don't see the point in telling me about it! Why?"

I faintly heard Aoshi sigh and climb into the passenger side of the car, closing the door behind him.

"You're only given information on a need-to-know basis Kenshin. Don't screw this up because of your god-damn ego. You're not a damn cop, you're just a consultant on this case, just a PI. _You_ quit the force and now you expect the same treatment? " he spat.

All feelings of rage and frustration came flooding back and for a moment I saw red. What's that saying? 'Speak softly but carry a big stick?' Something like that. Well I didn't need a big stick; my left hook was good enough and I chose to use it.

Within moments we were wrestling each other on the trunk of his cruiser, and then ended up rolling around trying to knock each other out on the pavement. Must've been quite a scene for pedestrians walking by, but fortunately we'd parked in the back the building.

"You're a fucking asshole Himura!" he grunted as he grabbed me in a head lock.

The bastard was using his obvious height over me to an advantage.

I managed to pry out of his steely grip and gave him a hard punch in the kidney.

"Fuck off Sagura! You're just peeved because you can't be a man and tell Megumi how you feel!"

"Man enough?" he roared in between breaths and punches at me, "I _am _man enough, but there seems to be a red-headed asshole in my way! And this has _nothing_ to do with her!"

"Phtf" I countered taking a few swipes at his head, some of which he managed to dodge, "This has _everything _to do with it. Why else do you think she flirts all the time, because she fucking wants you to be a goddamned man and make a move already."

I head butted him against the side of the cruiser. We were both out of breath over the exchange of blows. I'm sure Aoshi was enjoying the fight.

"Ugh" he collapsed on the ground; his face bruised, hair disheveled, well, more than usual, and I'm guessing I didn't look any better.

He took a few breaths as I stood on guard and hovered over him, "She does?"

I had to let out a growl at his overall incompetence and total clueless-ness in such a situation, "Yes you ass! I have no interest in her, never have. And it's pretty obvious that she, for reasons beyond my understanding, really likes you" I retorted trying to fill my burning lungs with oxygen.

He looked thoughtfully towards the facility we'd exited, "This _still _has nothing to do with the case."

"What's with the damn secrets?" I asked.

"We're not intentionally keeping you in the dark Kenshin, that whole thing happened suddenly and we just didn't have time. I wanted to assess the crime scene ASAP. You know very well that a lot of the superiors aren't happy about outside involvement in NYPD cases. It took a lot for Saitou to allow you to be on this investigation, don't screw it up" he explained.

"I-"

"We need to go if you're planning on questioning Kaoru Kamiya about the young man" Aoshi broke in from the rolled down window of the cruiser.

My immediate questions were left answered, again, and I relented by finally climbing into the back of the car. Aoshi decided to drive and let Sano clean himself off from our blows as I wiped the warm liquid from my face and hands.

"We've got work to do you know if you two ladies are done" Aoshi chided.

It took a lot for Aoshi to get involved, and this was the furthest he'd get. A few words of 'wisdom' to get us back on track.

"You got a picture of this kid or should I draw one myself?" I asked cynically.

Sano passed me a photo and I took a look at it through my slightly blurry vision.

"_Fuck, don't tell me he managed to give me a black eye" _I looked up at him sitting in the front passenger seat. His face didn't look great either. Bruised and bleeding lip, black and blue cheek and a few minor little 'love taps'.

I looked down at the photograph and saw a picture of the same young man from the lab's morgue. Although this time I could make out turquoise eyes and a gritty smile across his face.

"What do we know about him?" I inquired tucking the photo in my coat and smoothing my hair down.

"Enishi Yukishiro, 26 years old, only son of wealthy business family based out of Japan-" Sano started.

"Typical wealthy, spoilt and obnoxious jackass?" I interrupted not at all interested in the biography at the moment. My head was spinning from our blows and I realized my last meal had been the coffee I'd had this morning. This case was already beginning to take over.

"You've got the general MO down" he replied. "Our guy here also has a history of outbursts and violence."

"Not surprising" I muttered, "lashing out against girlfriends and those not on the same financial level as him I take it?"

"You know Kenshin, one might assume you're profiling the poor man" Sano replied.

"He's certainly not poor by the way you describe it" I replied, "tell me about the crime scene."

"His summer house out in the Hamptons. He was found by a maid around 7:30 am this morning as she came in for her shift. Plenty of blood, but seemingly no struggle, no foreign prints, nothing."

"Well he very well didn't slice his own throat like that" I commented.

"No he didn't, and from the looks of the single, deep cut-"

"Clean and precise, a sharp blade" I interrupted, "he wasn't killed by an amateur that's for damn sure."

"You know that by just the wound on his neck?" Sano turned to face me in his seat.

"Yesh you look like shit!" I commented, "Yea, that and the lack of any struggle marks over the rest of his body. No bruising, no other cuts, nothing on his hands or nails."

"Speak for yourself" Sano commented and threw me a clean handkerchief.

"If you two lovebirds are done now" Aoshi stated as the car came to a halt, "Kenshin this is your stop."

I looked out to see the piercing building and recognized it immediately after only being here once before.

"Don't scare the poor girl" Sano grinned and I merely flipped him the bird before exiting the car.

Our fight was over and so were the feelings of resentment. Sagura and I always had our own ways of working things out. After everything was said and done, I'd still trust him with my life.

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

I managed to convince the doorman to lead me to an employee restroom before continuing my way to her suite. There was no need for her to see the state I was in because of my need to be stronger or better than my best friend.

With the water rushing down the drain of the sink I wiped away the blood. Clear water turned grotesque shades of red and pink as evidence of my short temper slipped across the white porcelain sink.

"_She doesn't need to see this. Not after everything she's dealing with" _I kept telling myself. I became aware of the time I was taking and didn't want to be any later for our meeting than I already was.

Checking my watch, I decided to get a move on. It was already going on 7 pm and she was being more than cooperative to allow us to speak with her this late.

Raking a hand through my hair and I grabbed my jacket and exited the wash room. My vision was still blurry from the impact of Sano's fist and I hoped that I was presentable at best.

Minutes later, the familiar chime of the elevator car alerted me that I'd arrived at her suite. I knocked on the door and expected the usual snotty butler to answer, but found myself faced with a pair of concerned blue eyes.

"K-Kenshin?" she seemed shocked.

"_Odd" _I thought, _"I thought she was expecting me? Why is she so shoc-"_

"Oh my gosh! What happened to your face?" she asked horrified with a hand over her mouth.

"_Oh right…that. I guess I hadn't done a good enough job washing everything away after all."_

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**Hey a bit of an uneventful chapter. I just had to have these to get into a tussle for my own perverted satisfaction! LOL**

**I'm back from vaca and it was nothing short of M-azing! We went to India and hiked up a mountain to go to a temple at the peak of the 15,000+ climb. If we'd gone any further, we'd be in the Himalayas. Suddenly when you experience extremities like that, everything else in the monotonous daily grind is so frustrating. I'll put up some great pics just as soon as I can develop my 8 disposable cameras for you guys to see the impeccable scenery and people.**

**So I'm not entirely happy with the writing in this chapter…I've been scrutinizing it for quite some time but I promised you guys an update upon my return so here it is. Hope you liked it…do review!**

**Thanks to everyone for your great reviews!**


	6. POISON

Chapter 6

**Poison**

I've never met a person in my life that I was so instantly attracted to. It isn't an immediate feeling of love or anything like that. Please don't write me off as that big of a fool. Just an overwhelming feeling of want and desire.

She'd practically dragged me into the kitchen, ordered me to sit and went to slowly cleaning off my wounds.

It was intoxicating the way she smelled; alluring the way she looked; and down right irresistible the way she felt standing so close to me.

She wore an invitingly soft-looking pink short skirt with a matching fitted short sleeve t-shirt. Her hair was high up in a pony tail, which I must confess made her look even younger. And that made me feel like my thoughts about her were even dirtier.

Her skin seemed to glow in the rusty rose colored outfit and lack of makeup left me dumbfounded by her natural beauty. She stood in front of me as I sat on the kitchen stool. Every other second I'd feel a warm cloth rub against my face, wiping away the dirt and blood I'd missed in my haste.

"How did this happen?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

I was slightly confused as to why she seemed so worried for me. Me? Why?

"I-fell. It's nothing serious" I lied not wanting to concern her with the fact that my friend and I couldn't resolve our differences like grown mature men should.

"Hmph" she replied, and I knew just by that tone she didn't buy it for a second. She turned to get a fresh new hand towel; I instantly missed her touch.

"And what?" she turned around giving me a stern look, "the sidewalk punched you back a few times?"

"_Shit!" _I cursed. I should've gone home and had Sano or Aoshi stop by and speak to her.

"_Jackass" _my 'self' cursed back, _"then she'd be all over Sano like this! Is that what you want?"_

I had to tell that 'self' to shut up while my focus went back to the petite woman now standing in front of me again. Her hands radiated warmth and I could feel her scent surround me. My body tingled in response and I felt stupid for letting her do this to me.

"I'm going to clean you up a bit before I put on the ointment and bandages. Let me know if I hurt you" she looked at me with such concern. As if the small stinging of her gentle touches could ever truly hurt me.

I nodded and added, "No bandages."

Her brows furrowed, "Why?" she asked intrigued. Her head cocked to the side slightly and I stared at her full, pink lips as if craving something highly delectable.

"I don't like them" I replied trying to keep my voice as even as possible.

An elegant dark brow rose in response to my answer and her perfect pout curved into a smile, "Don't want to hide that handsome face huh?"

Almost instantly she seemed to realize what she'd said to me. I hid my amusement and pretended to not notice the hint of red spreading across her face.

She smiled sweetly and I tried my best to remain as professional as possible in the situation. _"Professional! Right, just remain professional" _I kept repeating the mantra to myself.

I found myself staring into beautiful blue eyes that could be the color of any precious gem; full, pouty, cherry-colored lips that I couldn't take my eyes off of when she spoke or smiled at me; skin flawless and smooth begging for my touch and of course her scent as it surrounded me and pulled me towards her.

"_I wonder what she'd do if I just grabbed her around her waist and pulled her to me…" _I let my daydreams carry me away for a few seconds.

"Kenshin…"

"Yea" I snapped back to reality and she was standing there in front of me once more; sadly without my arms around her.

"I said you're all done. I put some ointment on your face but you really should get checked out by a doctor."

She moved away from in front of me and went to go dispose of the dirty towels and wash her hands.

"It's not really that bad; just a few bruises that'll pass."

She turned to face me while wiping her hands on a fresh paper towel, "Why do men always act so macho?"

I smiled at her statement and she giggled back.

"Kaoru" I changed the tone of the conversation remembering why I was there in the first place, "I came here to talk to you about something important that's happened in the investigation."

Her entire demeanor changed and noticeably darkened, "I thought so" she replied softly. "Sorry."

"Please, follow me" she walked ahead of me.

I was led once more into the same sitting room as before and this time we sat side by side on the couch. While passing through the hallways and other rooms, I noted that there were no house-maids or others to be seen.

"Where is everyone tonight?" I asked as we sat down.

"It's late and the overnight maid had a family emergency. Her baby had a fever so she had to go to the hospital. The others are away and Misao is home. She's been here day in and day out for me, and I felt so guilty putting her through all of this" she answered staring at the wall in front of us.

"Sometimes one has to be a bit selfish" I replied, which caused her to look at me. "Besides" I quickly averted, "you shouldn't be staying alone considering what's happened. Isn't there anyone else that can spend the night with you?"

I fumed at myself, _"Where is this questioning going? I came here for something important and haven't even gotten to that yet. Instead I'm too preoccupied with who will be with her tonight…"_

I had to shake free of those thoughts before they completely consumed me. She looked so helpless and frail sitting on the large couch on the opposite end from me. Her legs were tucked together underneath her and my strayed once more imagining how it'd feel to reach out and slide my hand up a creamy thigh…

"No, I'm afraid I don't. And honestly I don't want to burden anyone" she replied again propelling me free of my thoughts.

"Kaoru…" I started to tell that her sister being missing and her parents being away wasn't a burden on anyone else but her. Before I could get anything else out however, my cell phone went off.

"Excuse me" I flipped open the phone and walked into the hallway.

"Yea"

"Cordial as usual" Sano replied.

"I'm a bit busy at the moment" I barked back keeping my tone hushed.

"Oh I see. Hopefully not doing anything I wouldn't."

I had to keep myself from cursing, "Don't worry" I grinned, "I never do anything you do. That's why you're the wing man."

"So you are trying to charm the young Miss Kamiya" he laughed.

"Sano" I warned, "Don't be stupid. What do you want?"

"Any progress on the questioning? She know the guy?"

I screwed my eyes shut and kept my tone even as I lied. "I just sat down with her. She was preoccupied with other stuff. Anything else _detective_?" I added putting special emphasis in regards to my irritation.

"Just let me know if you find out anything."

"If there's anything to find out" I mumbled and flipped the phone shut.

I took a few breaths and walked back into the room. She hadn't moved from her spot on the couch and so I sat back down. It was uncomfortable now; she was still the same innocent yet enticing vixen but my sense of duty had been restored due to the phone call.

"Kaoru" I looked at her seriously and she gave me her attention, "I came here to discuss another matter in the case that's come up recently."

Her eyes widened slightly, "Yes?" she asked.

I kept my expression stern and she seemed to get the hint. "We recently came across someone that we think your sister was with the night of her disappearance."

She looked at me curiously, "Oh? Do they know anything?"

"I'm afraid he's deceased" I replied and waited for her reaction.

Her eyes widened suddenly and the blood seemed to drain from her face. Her otherwise sweet, inviting lips parted as my message slowly sunk in.

"I…" she tried softly, but the words just couldn't seem to get past her throat. "What does-I mean who's-"

"He's been identified as Enishi Yukishiro" I interrupted saving her the trouble of awkwardly asking me who the victim was and stretched my arm out to hand her the photograph.

She slowly took it with both hands and studied the picture intently. I sat there looking at her practically curled on the other side of the couch from me. My eyes kept betraying my will and wandered over her form, studying the curve of her legs, the way her clothing hugged every-

I shook my head slightly to clear the thoughts out. This was really getting to be too much trouble and rather annoying. The room was starting to feel stuffy and tight, but I still had more questions. I realized for the first time in my professional career, I wasn't focusing.

"Do you know him or ever seen him with your sister?"

Her gaze broke from the picture and was on me once more as she handed the photograph back.

"No" she replied softly, "I'm sorry but I don't recognize him."

She looked down at her lap regrettably and I gathered that she felt guilty about not being able to have more information at such a crucial point. My heart twisted slightly and I tried my best to remain as passive as possible. But the fact that just the sight of my injuries earlier prompted her to fly into a frenzy to try and help me was eating at my conscience.

"We" I started, but noticed how dry my throat was at this point.

I coughed and cleared the hoarseness, "There's surveillance video that showed he and your sister leaving the club together the night before her disappearance. We thought that perhaps finding him would lead us to more information about your sister. Sano and Aoshi are working on his background check, his friends, family, and acquaintances, anyone that may have known him and how he was involved with your sister."

She looked up at me sharply just then.

"Involved?" she questioned and looked hurt at the insinuation that I was only now realizing I made.

"I mean how he knew her, what he had to do with her; friend, co-worker, whatever" I quickly reassured.

Her look softened once more and her gaze drifted back to the floor ahead of her.

"This is" she looked up at the ceiling and stared at nothing in particular, "so difficult" she finished in a whisper.

A glassy sheen filled her eyes as best as I could make out from my spot on the couch. Her arms wrapped around her knees as she hugged her bare legs and knelt her head down.

"I just need this to be over" her voice was barely audible; a crackle of misery.

She closed her eyes and tear slid down her cheek leaving a liquid trail in its path.

"I wish I knew what to do…" she mumbled as she cried.

If there was ever a sight a man can't handle, its woman crying out of such desperation and aguish. No one should ever feel this way.

My heart clenched at the sight of her, my body urged me to move forward and comfort her. But what could I say to her? How could I make her happy? I certainly couldn't promise her the safe return of her sister, which is probably the only thing she wanted right now.

I licked my dry, broken lips several times and just as many times attempted to come up with the right words. Finally I reached inside of my coat pocket and remembered some of the napkins I'd taken from the restroom in the lobby.

Rising from my seat, I walked over to where she sat on the couch and knelt down in front of her. Her head was still resting on her knees as she held herself tightly and we were within arms reach of each other.

"Kaoru" I softly spoke and held the napkin out to her.

Teary blue eyes met mine as she looked up. Her face was flush, her cute nose slightly puffy and red, and her large lashes thoroughly soaked along with her cheeks. She took the napkin from me and began to wipe at her face, sniffling and not meeting my eyes.

"Thank you…I-I'm sorry" her face grew redder.

My mind kept telling me to not make the situation worse for the poor girl.

"You don't have to be sorry for anything. None of this is your fault" I reasoned despite my usual better judgment.

"It's just that-" she started quickly and stopped to wipe another flood of tears.

I heard the rapid thumping of my heart in my ears at this point. Her sweet, gentle scent surrounded me once more. I suddenly desperately wanted to hold her.

"Just what?" I gently asked.

She probably tried to answer me through her tears, but just couldn't find the voice. Her beautiful face twisted into a frown and her happy, vibrant eyes were clouded with pain. How much more could I take?

"Kaoru" I gently coaxed and before I knew, reached out and grasped her warm soft hand within mine.

"_Shit" _my better judgment reprimanded.

"_This is just to calm her, just to calm her! Enough to find out some more information" _I argued back to myself.

To my surprise she didn't recoil from my touch. In fact her other hand fell atop mine and she bent her forehead down to rest on top of that. She had me pinned in that position; knelt in front of her as she was seated on the couch. If I reached out just a little bit, I was sure to encircle her warm body against mine.

My other hand hovered and slightly twitched over her head; begging me to allow it to caress her hair, smooth her worries and wipe her tears. I contemplated it for a bit but ultimately my hesitation got the best of me and I only remained kneeling in front of her.

I allowed her a moment longer to gather her bearings and held myself in place feeling the warmth of her hands around mine. After a few seconds she raised her head allowing me to see her tear stained face once more.

My heart thumped wildly in my chest over seeing her like this. I'd seen many people in my years hurt, scared, angry and more. But I couldn't bear to see Kaoru like this.

I felt stupid again over harboring such feelings for her.

My inner-self scoffed once more, _"You're really an idiot to get carried away like this Himura. Just look at you!"_

There really was nothing I could do about my feelings for her. It would only lead to her being more hurt. And for all I knew, she just needed a shoulder to cry on at the moment and nothing more.

It could've been Sano, Aoshi or at best, her friend Misao right now and she'd still be the same. The thought of Sano or Aoshi being so near set a peculiar fire in my heart though.

"Do you" I started softly again, "need to be alone?"

Instantly my consciouses screamed at me at the same time.

"_Idiot of course she doesn't! Why would you leave her alone at a time like this?"_

"_What an incredibly stupid thing to say."_

I was frozen in place as she sniffled and looked away from me.

"I-I'm so sorry…" she softly replied. Her hand still covered mine and I was almost happy that she didn't let go.

"If it's not too much trouble…" she started slowly; my attention and more was all hers. "It's just that…I know this going to sound so stupid, but I don't want to be by myself right now."

I was certain that the blood drained from _my_ face at that point. Usually I knew just what to say, just what to do, but at this point I was at a complete loss. I realized she was waiting for a response.

"Uh sure. No trouble" I managed to reply. It was obvious she was scared now for more than just the well being of her sister. The fact that I'd told her Enishi, a connection to her sister, had also been murdered probably sent her on edge.

"Kaoru, if you're scared about your safety just let me know. I can have armed officers at your front door for the rest of the evening" I asked.

I'd of course had to get it cleared through Sano, but he wouldn't dare say no to that sort of request.

"No, no, no" she replied frantically as her grip on my hand tightened a bit to enhance her point. She sat up slightly and neared the edge of the couch, in turn putting her within closer proximity to me.

"I don't want to cause so much trouble for you. Please, I'm fine really. I just…I haven't been alone since this all happened and I guess I was just acting silly" she wiped at her tears and tried to force a smile.

It took most of my self control not to reach out and touch the side of her face and feel the soft skin there as I consoled her.

"I'll stay with you as long as you need me to" I replied sounding sure of my words for the first time since I'd arrived.

"Thank you" she whispered back.

We stayed there for a few seconds. I've never believed one can develop such passion for a near stranger. But she was decidedly different; and she'd done nothing deliberate to entrance me as I was with her.

"_It's just lust Himura. Get a hold of yourself."_

"Kenshin" she spoke, "I'm so sorry, I didn't even offer you anything to drink."

The spell broke and I shifted up and away from her, taking my seat on the couch once again.

"I'm alright-"

"No, no, it just slipped my head" she cut in and rose from the couch. "Please have something: coffee, tea, soda?"

I looked up at her standing in front of me, smiling, happy and suddenly the room got a little hotter. She was a bit of an enigma. One minute inconsolable and scared and the next worried about me. It shocked me slightly to have someone actually worried about me.

"Nothing hot" I shook my head and added a mumble, "Although I could use a stiff drink about now."

"Sorry?" she replied straining to her what I said.

"Hm, nothing. Water is good" I replied.

"Kenshin if you need a cocktail or something I don't mind, really" she smiled.

"I was just joking" I chuckled, "besides I'm on the clock so none of that!"

"But aren't you a PI?" she asked, her head slightly cocked to the side.

"Uh huh."

"So, then it's not like you're in uniform or have a badge" she reasoned innocently.

"I'm still working and I was a cop, so…so" my train of thought was disrupted. The head ache and body aches from the fight along with not eating was getting to me.

"I'm sorry" I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Oh your head. Wait right here" and with that she rushed out of the room.

She came back briefly and had a tray with a glass of water along with two pills on it.

"Advil for your head" she indicated.

"Thank you for the water" I reached for the glass, "But I don't take medication, thank you though."

She set the tray down on the table top, "You don't like bandages, don't like medication; don't tell me you lick your wounds clean when you get hurt!" and laughed.

It was refreshing to see her smiling and joking and I did have quite a comeback but decided I would be completely out of line to say something like that to her.

"Macho remember?" I smiled and set the empty glass of water on the table.

"So you were a cop before? For how long?" she asked sitting closer to me on the couch.

"_And you were the one supposed to be doing the questioning. Well, might as well take her mind off of things for a little bit before we can get on topic again."_

I reclined back on the couch and looked at an unfocused spot on the wall ahead of me, "I joined the force right out of school. I'd always wanted to be a detective or officer, just as long as I was solving crimes and putting the bad guys away. Well, that's what you dream about when you're young anyway. I was with the NYPD for almost 7 or 8 years. I forget the details."

"How old are you?" she replied without missing a beat, "I mean, sorry, if you don't mind. It's okay if you don't want to say."

I had to chuckle despite myself. Her whole face changed when an expression passed through; happy, sad, excited, and on.

"29 going on 30 pretty soon" I replied, looking at her features carefully for the next expression, "old huh?"

She laughed at that, "Oh please! Didn't you hear? 45 is the new 25? So by those standards you're my age!"

I laughed at her quirky response and admired her wit, "It's easy for you to say at 22."

"No I'm serious though, 29 is not old and you certainly don't look older than 25 I would say. But when you're in shape and good looking you very well _could _be 45 and still look great" a pretty shade of red crept across her face as she spoke.

"_Is she? No, not possible. She's just being nice. Don't look so into it Himura."_

"Why did you quit?"

I looked at her at the question. Her eyes were so beautiful, sure fresh and pure, how could I ever think she'd look at me with interest through them?

"Like I said, when I was younger I dreamt about putting the bad guys away, but when I got older I realized the bad guys have really good lawyers that don't let them sit in jail for long. Or at all" I added with bitterness. "I guess I was a disillusioned with the whole thing after seeing that one too many times. That and the bureaucratic crap along with paperwork really pisses me off!"

"Oh I see" she replied softly, "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Its people like you that we pledge to protect and I just couldn't find anything else of great interest or importance to me than this line of work. That's why I decided to do the PI thing."

She looked at me with a smile, "You knew I was going to ask why you became a PI."

"I'm perceptive like that" I answered smiled back and at the same time beating myself up inside for going down this path.

"_You're flirting, this is FLIRTING!"_

"Ah so Kaoru, tell me a little bit more about your family" I tried my best to bring this meeting back to as professional as possible.

"Well" she looked thoughtfully ahead, "we're all very loving and caring towards each other. We grew up with different moms and the same father, but never felt it. I think I already mentioned that."

"Hm mh" I nodded.

Her smile saddened slightly at the memory of her family, "I remembered when I was younger how much I looked up to Tomoe. Everyone would say how beautiful and graceful she was and I was so proud of her too. She shared everything with me, toys, clothing, jewelry, everything."

She looked down at her lap and swallowed a lump forming in her throat, "I'm sorry, I just can't do this right now."

"It's alright, take your time" I replied, but at the same time wanted her to tell me everything right there so we could move on with this investigation.

"No, that's just it" she quickly wiped at her eyes and strengthened her resolve once more, "we don't have time. Every minute of everyday she's away I just get more frantic for her. I need to be stronger than this."

"Don't beat yourself up. There's no right or wrong way to behave in a situation like this. And I must say that you're plenty strong already, I'm impressed."

I just know in my gut that all this sweet talk and "you're awesome" stuff is gonna' get me in trouble down the line. And yet, like a typical man, I keep going on with it.

"I'm sorry" she rubbed at her temples, "all of this crying is giving me a headache."

Suddenly she rose from her spot on the couch and looked back at me. I had to swallow my own lump of nervousness; just the way she looks sometimes drives me crazy.

"I need a drink, can I get you one?" she asked seriously.

"_Well, she is 22 so it's legal."_

I smacked myself for the insinuation that sounded like, _"LEGAL TO DRINK, TO DRINK!"_

"You go ahead but none for me thanks" I quickly replied.

"Nonsense" she walked over to one of those globes that's really a mini bar and flipped the top up, "I can't drink alone. Please just one. It'll help your head."

"Ka-" but by then she'd already started fixing two drinks.

"_Well maybe it'll relax her a bit and you can actually ask some questions."_

"_Hello? Alcohol? It's a depressant brainiac and you know that. Just what are you trying to achieve here?"_

"I have no idea" I mumbled to myself.

"What's that?" she walked back and handed me a small, heavy crystal glass filled with a dark concoction.

"_Lord if I'll regret anything it'll be this, but help me through it since I'm so damn weak."_

I took the glass from her hands, "What's the poison?"

She sat down beside me and smiled, taking a slow sip of her drink, her rosy lips already wet, "Simply rum and coke."

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**Hey all…well you guys asked for more Kao and Ken face-time so this chap was all uncut, uninterrupted for you! **

**I can't say thank you enough to all the reviewers! Some of you were sad to see Enishi and Tomoe bit the dust…nothing personal against them but someone has to die in this fic! And I think you'd all be out for my blood if I would've killed Ken or Kao off right in the beginning.**

Anonymous but very interested, **thanks for the review and yeah stress sucks and sometimes you just feel like bashing someone's brains out! D**

**Okay, okay, okay…apologies for spelling Tomoe as Tomeo and Sagara as Sagura. My beta is on vaca and left me high and dry so I'm trying to pull these ideas out of my mind, while typing at a break-neck speed, AND doing my best to spell check. I find that TomeoRomeo thing hilarious since it rhymes (thanks for pointing it out Rei) so I don't feel too bad for that error.**

**Until I can get a good enough beta, please bear with me on some of the errors. And I don't mind at all if you point them out to me! **

**  
See ya laterz…Chao!**


	7. SECRET

Chapter 7

**SECRET**

**AN: Umm..limey, lemony? Not sure but standard warnings apply…adult content ahead. Enjoy!**

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

He ran a callused hand up her skirt and along her thigh causing the fabric to bunch higher and higher.

She moaned in response, her eyes shut, her lips graced with a smile and her body now aching for him. Her hands undid the buttons of his shirt and helped him shrug off the material from his shoulders.

Their breaths were mixed with alcohol and met in a heated kiss as he assaulted her bottom lip by biting and sucking it repeatedly. She in response lifted her pelvis to meet him hovering over her and felt the length of his hardened body against hers.

A slight shove sent her back to the bed-top and she whimpered and giggled as he traced his tongue along her neck and continued lower. He greedily snatched the bra clasp open to take a soft, supple breast in his palm and squeeze his aggression out.

His pants were undone and he wasted not a second longer before slipping her panties down and discarding them. She inhaled sharply and threw her head back at the feel of his long, hardened shaft finally rushing inside of her.

They followed a laborious and rapid rhythm as he beat in and out; his grunts of satisfaction and her moans of pleasure mixing with the slapping sounds of their flesh.

His eyes were shut tight and teeth gritted from the amount of force he was exerting. He could see the same angelic face and devilishly delectable body writhing under him. The way she smiled at him as she wiped his face, the way she sauntered around the room inviting him to look with each sway of her hip, and way her melodious voice chimed when she giggled or laughed.

Suddenly the desire to reach an even higher level of satisfaction raged through him and he willed his body to plunge deeper inside her. With a renewed wave of desire he slammed into her slender body with force.

"Ah…more" she racked a hand through his enticing red mane as her body rocked from his grueling assault.

His eyes snapped open at the sound of her voice.

That voice…the voice he remembered and lusted over…this…wasn't the same voice it seemed.

The rhythm stopped and he rose slightly to look at the woman under him.

"_Kaoru-"_

He stopped mid-thought as the woman under him came into focus and reality crashed into him; hard.

"…" he looked at her dumbfounded.

"Mmmh" she groaned at the sudden void between her legs and absence of pleasure her body was craving.

"Why'd you stop baby?" she whined.

"Shit" he mumbled under his breath and scanned the room briefly to asses his surroundings.

"What's wrong?" she continued and covered her naked body with a sheet after he removed himself from her and walked away.

"Nothing. I gotta' go" he mumbled back and fumbled in the dark for his clothing scattered for the room floor.

"What? Why?" her face twisted into a frown.

He paused to look at her and remembered how he'd ended up in this position in the first place.

**_FLASHBACK_------------------------_ FLASHBACK_--------------------_ FLASHBACK_**

I took several sips of the drink and would glance over at her as she did the same. My mind and better judgment were practically screaming at me to stop and heed the warnings.

Of course my body was reacting purely on its own in response to her whims and charms. She seemed to take her drink like a pro and I figured being a socialite in this city, she probably had more than enough practice.

But I couldn't imagine her partying her nights away in posh nightclubs with her extravagant friends. For one, she was in college and that does require studying last I remembered.

"So you live alone?"

I snapped out of my thoughts at the question and looked at her.

"Pardon?" I asked remembering to keep on my best behavior. No fowl-mouthed, ranting and raving like the others with her.

"I mean it's getting late and all so I'm assuming you really don't live with anyone. Otherwise your wife or girlfriend would've been calling by now" she smiled shyly.

It took a few minutes for her line of questioning to register completely. I suppose I was shocked.

"You're very perceptive" I commented and smiled.

"Well my family and friends have always said I should be a detective or something. My dad said I've always been the one to ask a million questions ever since I was little. Think I have a chance on the force?" she winked and smiled back.

Again, it took a few for me to actually believe that she was joking with me. She was so adorable when she smiled.

"Of course, but I think you can do bigger and better things" I replied calmly. Hopefully that was the image she got of me; calm, cool and collected despite the fact that my heart was going a million beats a minutes.

She feigned hurt and pouted, "Why does everyone say that?"

I couldn't help but think simply how pretty she looked at that moment. She took a swig of her drink and turned back to me.

"You eluded my question" she looked at me dead in the eyes, "no wife, no girlfriend?"

If anyone besides her had asked, this probably would've been very uncomfortable.

"No" I replied and grinned adding, "No girlfriend, no wife, no life besides crime solving."

She looked at me for several excruciatingly quiet seconds before looking back down at her drink and taking another few sips.

"_Just what the hell are you thinking about here? What does any of this have to do with why you're here in the first place? Or did you forget that you actually have a job to do?"_

I cleared my throat and rested my empty glass on the table top. She still had about half her drink left.

"Can I get you another drink?" she asked politely upon noticing my glass.

"No, thank you" I responded gratefully.

"Please, if you'd like another it's no problem!" she quickly stood up to force feed me another blend.

"No, Kaoru that's enough" instincts took over and I wrapped my hand around her wrist to stop her.

Her slender, delicate, satin soft wrist fit perfectly in my hand and she was stopped in her tracks. I quickly let go of her and indicated that she sit.

She sat down quietly, almost too quietly for my liking. By the look of her, I began to think she'd been offended and scared by my outburst and sudden contact.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to grab your hand like that. I didn't hurt you did I?"

She shook her head and finally looked back at me, "No. I should be sorry for being so pushy. I guess…it's just that the news you bought about this guy Enishi and Tomoe being together that night and now him being found…murdered…I-I'm just a bit jumpy is all."

"No need to apologize" I replied in a softer tone.

"Is it alright if I get another drink for myself then?" she looked at me sweetly. As if I held the controls of her life in my very hand; I felt a bit ridiculous to be answering such a question.

"Um-yeah, of course you can" I replied.

She rose from her spot and once again returned to the mini-bar globe and fixed herself another full glass of rum and coke. Within a few seconds she was seated besides me on the couch, just an arm's length away.

"So I guess you still have questions to ask" she broke the uncomfortable silence with her sweet, soft voice. "I don't want to keep you any longer than you have to be here. Please go ahead."

I smiled inwardly, _"Perceptive."_

"Don't worry about keeping me here" I reassured her even though it meant more to me perhaps to be there.

"But I do have some more questions."

She nodded her head and looked back down at her drink allowing me to continue.

**_END FLASHBACK_-------------_END FLASHBACK_-----------_END FLASHBACK_**

"Kenshin!"

"Huh?" her incessant nagging shook me from my thoughts.

"Kenshin!" she shook my arm slightly thinking I was still not paying her any attention.

I looked down to see the same brunette from before sitting at the edge of the bed; the bed sheet covering her bare flesh and her eyes pleading with me for a reason as to why I was leaving her in the middle of the night.

My question was, _"Who the hell is she?"_

"What?" I snapped at her trying my best not to rip my arm from her hands.

She wasn't Kaoru, but then again, was I seriously thinking of Kaoru while…I shook my head slightly..._ "What's wrong with me?"_

I noticed the brunette was still apparently talking to me.

"What?"

She looked at me with a renewed expression of fury on her face. I noted the dark eyes, _"No where near the blue or as pretty."_

Her dark hair draped around her shoulders, _"Thinner and shorter and not as black."_

Everything about her was similar and yet, _"Not even close."_

"I said what the _hell_ is your problem? Why'd you stop? Don't tell me you got a girlfriend or something! All you assholes theses days…" she continued angrily.

Her second or third question, I'm not sure since I zoned out at some point, set off the memory of a chain of events that happened earlier.

**_FLASHBACK_------------------------_ FLASHBACK_--------------------_ FLASHBACK_**

11:47 pm

She was turning her empty glass in her hands once again. From the time she started drinking I counted three times that she had refilled.

"_Four drinks" _I was a bit amazed and broad-sided at the same time to see her sitting there in front of me. From my experience, the size of her drinks coupled with no food always resulted in women falling over drunk.

We'd begun to talk about Tomoe and her circle of friends. I desperately needed any small morsel of information to move this investigation forward. The talk turned from Kaoru not knowing many of her older sister's friends to again about Tomoe's disappearance.

I asked Kaoru about her last conversation with her sister; if she remembered who Tomoe last spoke to; enemies, people that didn't like her, anything at all. I kept asking her.

To her credit, Kaoru remained calm and fully candid throughout the session. I found myself sometimes outright staring at her as she spoke; looking at every curvature of her enticing lips; the intense color of her eyes as she looked me straight in mine.

I noticed that she'd stopped talking and I'd been caught staring.

"Right" I quickly shoved my notes in my pocket again, "thank you for doing this again. I know it's not easy."

"Don't you think…" she paused for a second and racked her hand through her hair; I could see the alcohol slowly taking effect. It was a slow and somewhat messy gesture.

"_So much for being able to hold her liquor."_

"Think what?" I asked.

"Um, no, never mind. It's nothing" she looked at me and smiled nervously. I noted the way she slightly chewed on her bottom lip at that moment and suddenly felt my body tighten. Also, I noticed that her eyes looked a bit glassy at this point.

"Kaoru what is it?" I implored.

She let out a heavy, exhausted sigh. As if she'd been holding the weight of the world on her shoulders the entire time and had finally been allowed to drop it.

"_On you of course" _my other half argued cynically.

"_Well I asked for it I suppose."_

"I'm just so _tired_" she stressed her point not only with the tone of her voice, but also by rubbing her temples with both hands.

I swallowed hard, _"So help me if she starts stretching."_

"Don't you think that I didn't answer _any_ of your questions?" she asked suddenly.

"Ah…" I wasn't sure how to reply.

She shook her head and dismissed my bewilderment as she continued, "I mean…I mean you ask about her friends, I tell you I didn't know them, you ask about boyfriends, and I don't even know if she had one or not for sure, you ask about her hangout spots and I don't know _that. _I don't know, I don't know, I simply don't know!"

I could see the aggravation that'd been bearing down on her this entire time, and her will slowly began to buckle. Speaking of time, it was already after midnight. Just how we'd managed to spend hours on end alone together without contact from anyone else was beyond me.

"Kaoru, it's not your fault. I've told you this before. Your sister has her life, you have yours. It doesn't mean you love her any less or are a bad person" I tried to reason.

She sunk back against the couch, her hand covered her eyes, her lips no longer smiling or laughing.

"I want this all to stop already" she drabbled. "I just…I just want my bed now."

"…"

"_Shit"_

"_Uh-huh, let her drink. Have a drink with her. It'll help her relax!" _I argued with myself.

"_Okay, okay, okay" _I tried to assess the situation, _"No one is home other than us right? And she wants to sleep because she's officially drunk."_

"_Just where is this going?" _I argued back.

"What?" I exclaimed aloud.

"Huh?" she yawned and turned to me. "Kenshin, you're still here?"

I struggled to stifle a chuckle, but soon realized this was no laughing matter here.

"_Alright Romeo, now what?"_

**_END FLASHBACK_-------------_END FLASHBACK_-----------_END FLASHBACK_**

I left the apartment and walked out into the cool late night/early morning air. My body still ached from not being able to release my aggravation, but whatever spell attracted me to…whatever her name was, had been thoroughly broken.

I felt tired and haggard at that point, and probably didn't smell any better.

She'd cussed at me up until I nonchalantly walked out of her apartment and took the staircase to the exit.

Looking down at my wrist watch, I was a bit shocked to see the time. Nearly 4:45 am.

"Fuck" I grumbled and continued on my way to the nearest train station.

"Don't even know where in the hell I am…what the fuck!" I continued to vent under my breath as I walked down the near deserted streets.

"_What was her name?" _I tried to recall.

"_More importantly, where the hell did I meet her?"_

My mind went back to those events once more…

**_FLASHBACK_------------------------_ FLASHBACK_--------------------_ FLASHBACK_**

My hand was wrapped around her thigh and the other around her back. She was pressed against my chest and I struggled to keep my senses as her warm breath feathered against my neck.

"Kaoru?"

"Mmm" she stirred slightly. Her arms were draped around my neck as I carefully carried her through the rooms and hallways of the suite.

It was bit ridiculous just how large the place was, but all her answers about not knowing much of her sister's social life seemed to make sense. People could live here and probably go for days without seeing each other even if they were home at the same time.

"Kaoru?" I stood looking down a long hallway and was puzzled.

She was roused from her light sleep and looked up to see where we were.

I was still a bit weary of the fact that I'd been roped into carrying her to the bedroom under her current state of intoxication. There's no way to explain how a professional client relationship turns into…whatever _this _was. Sano would've certainly had some words for me at this point.

"Is it this hallway?" I asked holding her in my arms.

She giggled and threw her head back in merriment, "NO! Go down more!" She kicked her leg up and pointed with her foot in the direction she meant.

"_Ah the great ex-detective turned PI now turned official piggyback giver."_

"Shut it" I mumbled under my breath.

"Hmmm?" she was alert once again and looked up at me through slightly hooded eyes.

"_Good lord where the hell is her room?"_

"Kenshin?"

I looked at her momentarily before continuing, "Uh-huh?"

"Can I tell you a secret?"

She had my full attention, but at the same time I was weary considering she was drunk and probably belligerent.

"Of course, but first tell me if _this_ is the right hallway."

She peeked up and smiled, "Yea, it's the blue door."

Her head slumped back down on my shoulder again.

"What was your secret?" I inquired with interest.

"Oh…right" she laughed slightly, "well it's just that you're really very nice Kenshin."

"_Umm…huh?"_

"…"

I was clueless as to where she was going with this. I almost expected her to tell me some dark family secret that might blow this investigation wide open, but this seemed to be going elsewhere.

"Thanks Kaoru" I managed to reply and added, "this is the door right?"

She looked up at the blue door in front of us and smiled, "Yep!"

I managed to work the door handle open and walked inside with her still in my arms. The light had thankfully been left on so we weren't walking into darkness.

Her room…well you all already know how much I love getting into decorum details…but it was what one would expect of such an intriguing young woman.

It smelled sweet, was comfortable, clean except for a few of her personal things scattered here and there. Please don't ask me for color details. All I can say is that blue was the dominating selection in a variety of shades.

I walked over to the center of the room and to the edge of her rather large, king-sized bed and gently distributed her on top. She smiled from the contact of the soft sheets and looked up at me.

I couldn't help but smile back and covered her with the comforter.

"I didn't tell you the secret" she whispered.

"Shh" I remained at her side and urged her to close her eyes, "I know, I'm really nice. Don't tell anyone. Especially Detective Sano. Now sleep."

She giggled and held fast to my hand as I went to walk away. "I want to tell you."

Her warm hand was like fire wrapped around wrist, "Okay."

"In your ear…"

I sighed and knelt down as I gave her my ear. This was beginning to feel very childish and yet…I was more than intrigued.

She rose slightly from the bed top and wrapped an arm around my neck to pull me closer and with the other whispered into my ear; her breath hitting the sensitive parts there and sending chills down my spine.

"The secret is" she whispered, "I really like you."

"…"

"_Shit"_

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

**Well hello there! **

**Okay…sorry just had to get that out of the way. So…how'd you like it?**

**Special thanks to **Kano Mayotteru Hoshi**! Thanks for your support and guidance through this chapter.**

**And also a special shout out to Antica! Luv ya!**

**So…I hope the flashbacks in there weren't too confusing…I didn't plan for the chap to come out this way…but once I started typing it…I just couldn't get it out of my head.**

**Soooooo…Kaoru's secret…well…you'll just have to wait and see how he takes it…and I know you guys wanna know who the woman he ended up in bed was…or rather…how he ended up with her.**

**Oh and I know I promised you guys pics of my vaca, but the scanner is feeling dumpy so I'm waiting for a friend of mine to scan em for me. They are coming…soon…I promise! **

**Till next chapter…peace!**

**-dee**


	8. EXPLAIN YOURSELF KENSHIN!

Chapter 8

**Explain Yourself Kenshin!**

I stopped in my tracks as her words rang out in my head again.

"Fuck!"

A woman coming towards me, probably walking home from a late shift at work, silently and quickly crossed across to the other side of the street as I cursed out loud. It couldn't be helped! Emotions of guilt, confusion and just plain stupidity came flooding in.

I tried to give her a comforting look ensuring that I wasn't some random, scary, crazy asshole stalking her in the middle of the night, early day, whatever. But she kept her gaze averted and walked quicker trying to put some distance between us.

Giving up on making the 'general public' feel safe, I felt lousier than I already did before. I started walking a bit more briskly in an attempt to get home faster.

In a long time I actually felt the craving for a cigarette.

"_Damnit," _I cursed, this time silently to myself. I didn't want anymore little old ladies being afraid of someone who was once in uniform to 'serve and protect'.

Oh and no I'm not a cigarette addict. In my opinion, they kill you faster than a bullet and a helluva lot messier too. Lung cancer, that nasty cough you develop and of course that stench. Who could stand it? But of course when I was younger and stupider I tried it. I ended up smoking socially around the group of friends that did smoke and pretty soon smoked when I was hung up and stressed from a tough case.

Much like this one. But despite the fact that I come off like a jerk to most of you, I do have a great deal of self restraint.

Right, right, I know what you're thinking. How did I end up in bed with some random chick if I was with _her _most of the night. Self resistant your asses right?

How indeed. Well it's not that difficult to explain. After Kaoru told me in her drunken slur that she 'liked me', I went sort of in panic mode. Not that I let her on to it or anything; of course one has to always keep their cool exterior. But on the inside I was raging.

I mean what the hell does "like" mean? Like as a friend? Like as an acquaintance? Like as something…more?

"Keh," I let out a snort in my exasperation. This was entirely too high-school for my tastes.

So after practically running out of her apartment to prevent me from doing anything I'd regret in the morning. Or perhaps not…

"_Not like you don't regret what just happened despite it."_

I really had to learn how to keep that voice blocked out.

Anyhow, I ended up at some random bar looking for a stiff drink. _"Damnit to hell, that's what she called it too."_

No matter what I did, all I could think of was her. One drink turned to two and then three and then four. I had a decent buzz going and as if timed to perfection, a brunette approached me and offered to buy another.

Of course I insisted I pay for both of ours and well…you know the rest. Was it just a need to release some 'tension'? I don't know, so don't ask. And don't give me that disapproving look like you're my mother or something.

I mean, I was drunk and yes, I'll admit, horny and she, I still don't remember her name, was…was…

"_Was looking a lot like Kaoru in your drunken haze?"_

For the second time I stopped short and almost tripped over at my own thoughts.

But she wasn't. She was no where near Kaoru. Not in beauty and not in intrigue. I felt sick to my stomach that I'd gotten inside her apartment after knowing her for maybe two hours the most. And of course even sicker that we'd…well you know the rest like I said before. No need to keep repeating it.

Alright topic dropped. I ended up with some woman that wasn't Kaoru, and as far I'm concerned, never will be.

How can it? She's so young and as cliché as this is going to sound, from a completely different world. And I'm sure in her innocent mind she's looking for Prince Charming at this point.

"_And Prince fucking Charming you certainly are not!"_

No, I most certainly wasn't. And she deserved nothing but the best. Is that why I did what I did with, ah…what's-her-name? To forget her? Numb her effect on me?

I growled lightly under my breath. I seemed to do that quite a bit. The cold, hard feeling of the cell phone in my pocket reminded me that I'd turned it off some hours ago.

Pulling the device from my coat, I flipped it open and switched it on. Immediately the blasted screen lit up with missed calls and voicemail messages. No big surprise they were all from Sano.

One thing I hate more than being woken up entirely too early is checking voicemail. My voicemail usually gets to about 20-30 messages before I get tired of looking at the damn icon on my phone and grudgingly check the damn mail. Yes it makes me cranky. How could you tell?

"_Kenshin, its Sano. I just wanted to phone in before I left the station to see how things were going with Kaoru. Give me a call when you're leaving. And why is your phone off?"_

"Because I don't want to hear you damn rooster-head" I muttered while pressing the number 7 to delete his message.

"_Kenshin, Sano here-"_

"No shit," I hit the delete key before being forced to listen to anymore of his ranting and raving. Moving on to the next message.

"_It's San-"_

Delete

"_What the fu-"_

Delete

"_KENSHIN!-"_

Delete

"_Where the hell are-"_

Delete

I managed to get through to the last voicemail message and was actually interested in listening to it. His frustration always seemed to be my pick-me-up.

"_Kenshin, what the fuck?"_

Oh, he sounded royally pissed off at me; more than usual anyway.

"_Why the hell is your phone off for the millionth time and what the hell is going on? You need to report back to me ASAP when you get this. Don't make me come over to find you! Are you still at Kaoru's? It's nearly 3 am, what the hell are you…OH! Kenshin, I'll skin you alive if you dare do anything to screw this investigation up! Saitou will chew out-"_

Delete

I shoved the phone in my pocket and continued on my way.

"_Call his ass later. He can wait!"_

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

Pounding.

A reverberating pounding throughout the apartment; louder and louder, with no signs of letting up.

I saw her again. She was so innocent, so perfect and so far away.

My hands were beyond dirty. They were filthy. From the grim I handled, and from the life I led.

She was so clean; smelled great. I could just smell her perfume again. Soft, dainty and delicate; just like her. And yet it, along with her deep eyes, held a fire just underneath. The way she looked at me. Desire.

But there was that damn pounding. It interrupted my thoughts constantly. As if our time was limited; our meeting taboo; and what I felt for her was beyond wrong.

Just as quickly as she appeared, her imaged shattered like a crumbling mirror. And the only thing that I was left with was the pounding.

What was that? Was it my heart?

I sat up in bed suddenly; my bare skin slick with a sheen of sweat.

"_A dream," _I half sighed aloud and half thought to myself.

But the pounding still rung out loudly in my small apartment and assaulted my ears. I looked over to my alarm clock.

10:22 am

"What the-"

Within seconds I silently crossed the room and retrieved my gun from its holster. Thankful I was at least in my boxers I exited into the living room and walked towards the front door with gun in hand, the safety off.

I wasn't in the habit of getting many visitors. Not this early, and not this persistent.

The stupid peephole for the door had been painted over by the apartment super so it was useless.

In a swift movement I undid the locks and threw open the door, pointing my gun at…

"_A police officer?"_

"Woah, woah!" the rookie held up his hands.

"Joe?" I simultaneously clicked the safety on and asked in astonishment. "What the hell are you doing here pounding on my door?"

"Sano asked me to stand here and not stop until you answered or he said so" the young man answered truthfully.

"Where is he?" I muttered looking around the hallway.

"Outside, lemme radio him."

Within minutes Sano was sitting on my couch, two patrol cars and Aoshi parked outside.

I stood in the doorway of the kitchen making myself a pot of coffee.

"So what's with the house call?"

I swore I heard him take a deep breath before he started speaking.

"What happened with Kaoru last night?" he asked, sounding rather…umm…well the best way to describe it is constipated. But I know he was just trying to keep from getting into an argument with me. Those anger management classes Megs made him take a few years back really seemed to help. Too bad I skipped 'em.

"Nothing. I asked her a few questions about Tomoe, the family, and just things here and there. She didn't know much and was pretty upset about it. But from what she did tell me, there isn't much to go on."

My tone was calm, the exact opposite of his building anger bubbling away just under the surface. I walked over and sat in the lumpy recliner facing him and took a sip of the bitter, hot liquid.

"So it took you from around 8 when we dropped you there to nearly 3,4, 5 am to get _that _much information from her?" he asked. Well not asked, but questioned. Either way I got his drift.

"Lemme level with you. She got drunk; plain and simple."

"Oh yea, that's_ real_ simple," he replied sarcastically.

I sighed, sipped my coffee and prepared myself for the verbal lashing.

"KENSHIN!" he huffed, but didn't scream. He knew better than that.

"She's a possible witness to a crime. A case that Saitou has been up my ass about solving since we're no closer to the truth than from day one," he flailed his hands about to emphasis his words.

I remained silent and waited for him to finish.

"We're supposed to ease her worries, but not promise her the safe return of her sister-"

"Which I didn't do," I interrupted.

"Okay, but did you or did you not drink with her?" he leveled back looking at me square in the eyes.

"Yea, I had one drink and only because she shoved it in my hands and I figured it'd help her ease up and answer the questions without breaking down in a mess of tears," I shot back.

He sighed loudly and looked down at the floor in deep thought.

"How much did she have to drink?" he asked calmly.

"4,5 drinks I think."

His eyes widened slightly and he shook his head at me.

"Don't give me that look granny Sano," I glared back, "I'm not an officer so having one drink isn't against any rules for me. And she is of age to drink-"

"But not to get intoxicated," he chimed in.

"I didn't know what her limit was since she seemed to be handling everything quite well until-" I stopped.

Shit! I talked myself into a corner.

He looked at my curiously, "Until?"

"Until she was slurring a bit and said she was tired."

"And then?" he asked leaning forward slightly, his eyes pensively looking at me for an answer.

"And then I helped her to her room, and left. That's it. I don't what the hell else you think happened. Freakin' perverts," I sipped my coffee again.

He let out a sigh of relief. "Kenshin, damnit, you had me worried for a second."

"I'm not an incompetent idiot to get that wrapped with a broad."

"Broad?" he snickered, "What are you? Livin' in the 50's?"

"You know what the hell I mean. She was shaken up after I told her about Enishi-"

"She know him?"

"No," I replied and continued, "So she asked me if she could drink. I'm not her keeper, of course she could. So she did."

"Why weren't you answering-"

"I needed another drink after I left her place so I ended up at some bar and met this chick. Woke up in her apartment early this morning and got in door after 5. I figured it was too early to call your ass," I explained grumpily.

"Too f-in early for me to be up," I took another sip finishing off the coffee.

"Hooked up with a bar chick huh?" he smiled, "I thought you had standards."

Flipping him the bird I replied, "Guess you thought wrong."

"Got wasted huh?" he continued smirking.

"Yea," I got up for another cup of coffee.

"So the little Miss Kamiya had no more information of use huh?" I heard him ask thoughtfully as I refilled the cup.

"No," I mutely replied and began to walk back. Her voice and words once again on my mind.

"You know for a second I thought you had bagged _her. _I mean no one could find you, and that was the last place we left you. We called her and she was still in bed at nearly 9 am," he laughed.

I sat down on the recliner again, "I told you she's not my type. Too young and-"

"Not trashy enough huh?" he quipped and I was tempted to ripe his head off.

"Hm," I took a sip of the coffee in an attempt to drop the topic.

"So you bed some random chick from a bar instead," he laughed shaking his head, "Only you Kenshin. Only you."

I was getting a bit irritated by the topic. "Don't tell me you came all the way down here just to check in on me? I'm flattered."

"Don't be" he straightened up again. "Not only did I want to make sure that you weren't in bed with our missing person's baby sister…"

I squirmed slightly at the insinuation.

"But I also have some interesting news for you."

"Oh?" I cocked an eyebrow.

"I seems that Miss. Kamiya has requested your presence with her this Saturday night at some company benefit that she has to attend on her father's behalf."

It all took a few seconds to register, and of course his mocking tone of voice didn't help either.

I wanted to hit the roof, but didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing me squirm. I hated formals; formal dinners, formal dances, formal _anything_ damnit!

He began to chuckle at me, "We called her this morning, looking for you and I asked her how your meeting went last night. She told me the it went fine and she was really embarrassed since she got a bit 'tipsy' was how she put it. I told her it was nothing-"

"Get to the point" I cut in harshly.

"Hold on, hold on, Prince Charming" he laughed.

I all but fell out of the chair at the nick name. How…ironic, accurate, un-fucking-believable!

"So me and her get to talking about Enishi and I just ask her how she's doing with that news. She said not too good and how she's worried about some benefit crap her father made her promise to attend in his absence. It's a matter of family pride that one of their family members be there, if only for an appearance. Well point is, she said she was scared and would like to request if _you_ could be her date slash undercover bodyguard."

He finished with a certain gleam in his eyes that alerted me he was up to something.

"And you said?" I asked pretending not to care.

"I said you'd consider it your number one priority that she feel safe and secure at all times while working with the NYPD on this investigation" he announced proudly and mockingly.

"You WHAT?" I rose from the chair, coffee cup in hand, ready to beam it at his gigantic head.

"Sano, I'm not a god damn babysitter, bodyguard, or your personal servant to lend out to your rich and fabulous witnesses" I glared at him.

"Sit down and relax Kenshin-"

"_Wrong answer," _I thought.

"Fuck off Sagara," with that I began to walk away.

"Kenshin wait, there's another reason why I volunteered you," he quickly rose from his seat.

I knew it. If she needed protection he could've assigned no less than 10 officers to tend to her around the clock. But there was somehow a method behind the madness, especially if it had to do with Saitou.

I stopped walking and was still turned away from him, "Start talking."

"There's no other break in this case besides the discovery of Enishi's body-"

"I hardly call that a break, but go on" I corrected.

"Saitou thinks that there has to be some sort of a link between Tomoe's disappearance, Enishi's death and the Kamiya family. So we think that-"

"That Kaoru might be the next target. And you'd like to use her as bait to flush out who's responsible for all this?" I finished.

"Well" he stammered a bit, "Yea. I mean she _did _request your presence and if we can catch the people responsible, that's just a bonus."

"Yea" I answered dully and added with my usual cynical tone, "A real bonus."

He was quiet after that.

"Saitou's okay with this whole arrangement? Why not you or Aoshi? You two are after all the _real _cops here," he looked at him from the corner of my eyes, still not giving him an inclination as to if I would go along with the plan.

"She asked for you man" he replied simply, "And I already told you that Saitou is under Muraki's explicit orders that the Kamiya family's every request be fulfilled until this is all resolved."

He was right. To a certain extent even Sano and Saitou had no say in the case. The family was too well connected and too damn important to them. In the back of my mind I knew that it was a relief she asked for me. But at the same time it was another annoyance for me. I would have to protect her and be responsible for her well-being given that someone would try something.

"What's it gonna be Kenshin?" Sano asked gravely.

"Keh" I muttered, "I might as well, seeing as how you won't be solving this case anytime this century."

We were both quiet for a few seconds after that. I kept thinking about her and the next time we'd meet. And there was no way to know what the hell rooster head was thinking, so I won't even try.

"So…" he started with that same goofy look on his face, "why did she ask for y-"

"I don't know, so don't ask" I replied swiftly.

He raised his hands in defeat and laughed.

I walked into the kitchen and decided against another cup of coffee. Eventually I would need to get out for some breakfast. Liquor and coffee alone usually don't add up to a healthy diet.

"Oh and by the way Kenshin" I heard him call from the living room, "you'll need a suit."

I hung my head in defeat at his over-enthused tone.

Then again, another cup of coffee wouldn't hurt at this point. My headache was getting worse by the minute.

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

**Special thanks once again go out to **Kano Mayotteru Hoshi** for being my beta.**

**Hehe…I enjoyed writing this chap as much as the one where Sano and Kenshin get into that fight. I liked the chapter title since so many of you were royally pissed at Ken-san for sleeping around. So I felt like as you were reading that last chapter you were all like "WTF! You slept with someone other than Kaoru? HOW COULD YOU?" hehehe...sorry can't be angelic always ya know! **

**Okay so we're finally getting back to the whole mystery and all. **

**I want to thank all of you that have reviewed this fic and stuck with it. I'm really having fun with it and I can only see it getting better, darker and edgier. **

**Bye for now,**

**dee**


	9. ALL THAT GLITTERS ISN'T GOLD

Chapter 9

**All That Glitters Isn't Gold**

The harmonic melodies of dozens of stringed and winded instruments filled the grand hall. Opulent chandeliers dripping with crystals and golden twinkling lights hung from the lofty ceilings. Priceless motifs, statues, and art work glistened from every wall and corner that the eye wandered to.

Women were dressed in affluent gowns; their jewels sparkled with diamonds, precious stones and metals from afar. Gentlemen wore the customary black tuxedos with minimal yet decidedly expensive jewelry as they mingled with the other masses of the rich and powerful.

Wine and champagne was dispersed to the crowd, being served by the wait staff in heavy crystal glasses. The grand hall had an air of regality to it; the lines of poverty and despair long forgotten as the men and women stepped out of their limos and into the party.

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

"_Son of a bitch!" _

"_Damn shoes!"_

I finally managed to get through the crowd to the bar stool and took a seat. My feet ached from the tight new leather dress shoes that I'd been forced to wear after Megumi got wind of the whole plan. Oh did I mention there was a bar? Thank goodness someone was listening!

Megumi had taken me shopping with her and it'd been an all day experience. She insisted I get a shave and even tried to have my hair trimmed. I informed the barber that if I was missing a single strand of hair on my head when I walked out of shop, I'd be walking out with both his hands.

The tuxedo was what the rest of the monkeys were wearing: standard issue black jacket and pants. She had measurements taken so that it fit perfectly in her eyes. I opted for the long black wool coat instead of the ridiculous looking hat and cane. Who wears that stuff anymore? Well apparently, some of these clowns do.

I turned to the bartender and shot him a sympathetic smile, "When does the party really get started?"

He shook his head and smiled at a guest walking by. "Just keep smiling and raking in the tips tonight," he grinned.

"So what do these snoots usually have?" I asked him.

He chuckled, "Well Crystal is a favorite."

"How about we stick to the basics? Whisky straight up on the rocks," I instructed and turned to face the crowd again.

"_Probably shouldn't be drinking,"_ I reasoned with myself. _"But then again, I definitely shouldn't have to be in a place like this either."_

This place was beyond boring. Sitting there continuing to look at them all was going to make me sick.

I glanced down at my watch, _"Almost 8:30 pm. Where is she?" _

I looked up and scanned the crowded space once more; looking for any familiar signs of her. Sano had informed me that we'd meet at the party instead of going together.

For me, as long as she was safe and their plan worked, I was satisfied. We needed to catch this person or people and stop anymore of this crap from happening right under our noses.

Just as my temper flared at the thought, the bartender placed my drink on the bar-top.

I turned around and took a long swig savoring taste; letting the bitter liquid roll around on my tongue before blazing a trail down my throat. In another 2 sips I was done and promptly motioned for another.

"Woah, take it easy tiger. The night's still young."

I was taken off guard and turned to look at my right in the direction of the sweet voice. She stood there smiling back at me; in a dark blue dress that matched her gorgeous eyes. It hit her knees and hugged her slender waist. It had a deep v-neck and was armless showing off her fit physique. Her hair was pulled back and away from her face into a rumpled bun; only her thick midnight bangs hung around her flawless face.

Thankfully unlike the others she wasn't made up and dripping in jewelry. Dark eyeliner and light lipstick is the best I made out. She wore no earrings, no necklace and no baubles of rings; just an elegant diamond bangle highlighting her wrist. Simply sweet and sophisticated.

"Kaoru-" I turned to face her, "ah…"

"You look great."

Is what I meant to say, but she'd beat me to it. She smiled sweetly as usual as she took a seat beside me and motioned for the bartender.

She leaned in closely and I shuddered slightly as she spoke; her breath hitting my skin, her perfume floating around me. "So what're you having tonight?"

Her eyes were filled with mischief and I was tempted to play along, "Whiskey on the rocks. Can't do the champagne stuff."

The bartender neared and she looked at him, "I'll have the same as the gentleman."

I looked at her amused and raised an eyebrow. She looked back at me and smirked, "I hate champagne too!"

"Don't let it get like the other night," I quipped just as our drinks were placed in front of us.

She took a sip and looked at me again, "Kenshin about that…-I-I don't even know where to start to say how sorr-"

I raised my hand, "No need for that."

"Yes there is," she replied instantly grasping hand with her own. "I acted like a belligerent fool and what's more I completely put you in an awkward spot."

I was torn on what to say to her. I could accept her apology and let it drop at that or I could tell her that I really didn't mind anything she did or said. In fact I wanted to know what she meant exactly. But I was hesitant and ultimately knew better.

"Kaoru?"

We heard a masculine voice from behind and both turned to face the person.

"_We're on Himura," _I prepared myself to observe every single person she'd interact with. Anyone of suspicion would have to be scrutinized.

"James?" Kaoru stood from her seat to say hello to the man.

"Hi! Long time no see," a dark-haired man grinned and promptly caught her in an unnecessarily long and tight embrace.

"_Dark eyes, short dark hair, about 6 feet tall, I estimate 190 pound," _I began to mentally size him up.

"It's been a while," I heard Kaoru reply and realized I'd nearly been staring the man down as if I wanted his blood.

"How have you been sweetie? I've wanted to come by and see how you were with everything going on," he laid it on real thick. It was obvious he was trying to work real hard at getting all her attention for himself. He didn't even give me a sideways glance as he rudely cut in on our conversation.

"_Stop getting jealous and get focused Himura," _I tried to reason with my 'self'.

I was already irritated by the jerk and we hadn't even introduced yet.

"I'm hanging in and thanks for your concern. Ah and by the way, James meet Kenshin. Kenshin please meet James," she motioned towards me.

He turned to face me and gave me look over, "Good to meet you."

"Pleasure," I greeted and grasped his hand in a tight handshake.

"Nice arm," he complimented while trying to hide his discomfort.

An older staff member came up to Kaoru and whispered something to her. She promptly turned me and smiled, "I'll be right back. Just have to go get some details worked out with the ribbon cutting later."

As she walked through the crowd, I followed her form refusing take my eyes off of her until she disappeared out of the room.

"So Kenshin. Didn't catch your last name?"

I looked over to where Kaoru stood before and found the same annoying dark-haired man looking back at me. He was one of those cocky bastards. It was obvious he wore his wealth on his person at all times and was damn proud of it.

"Didn't give it John," I replied and took a swig of my drink.

"James," he corrected as if nothing fazed him, "Its James Behr of Behr and Associates."

"_Am I expected to be impressed by that?" _I scoffed.

He sat down next to me and continued as I kept my gaze on the crowd ahead of us. If I saw any signs that something was off, I would need to make sure Kaoru was okay.

"I don't think Kaoru introduced us properly," he continued flapping his mouth, "she can be so dull-minded sometimes, but what a body huh?"

I gave him a sharp look at the statement and contemplated knocking some of his perfectly pearly white teeth out of his mouth. They were beginning to annoy me along with the rest of him.

"Uh huh," I replied dryly not wanting to cause a scene. I still had a job to do despite my growing emotional attachment. Yes I'm bloody aware of how protective I am getting of her.

"So what's the last name? What business are you in?" he persisted.

Kaoru had been gone a few minutes, but the hall was quickly filling up with more people. I was getting a bit anxious for her to return under my care and the dumb-ass to my side wasn't helping at the moment.

"It's Kenshin, just Kenshin," I retorted. So I'd play some mind games. It was better than knocking him out; better for him at least.

"Well 'just Kenshin' I haven't seen you around before. What do you do?"

"_Persistent bastard. Where the hell is Kaoru?" _

It kept bothering me that I didn't offer to go with her.

"_You're such an idiot Himura."_

But I also didn't want to cause any extra alarm by standing out as her overprotective body guard. Better to hang back and observe before getting too rash.

The crowd seemed to be getting only more and more dense with each passing second and there were still no signs of Kaoru.

"Kenshin?"

I looked again towards the nuisance Kaoru had strung to my side before leaving, "Yeah?" I snapped.

He gave me a weird look and I realized I was doing badly at trying 'fit in' as Sano had put it.

"_Damn Sagara," _I cursed silently. "What do I do? Well for tonight I'm Kaoru's date."

The look on his face when I said that was priceless, "You? You're Kaoru's date tonight? But you didn't arrive with her."

I think I'd hurt Casanova's feelings, "No we didn't arrive together. It's a bit scandalous considering my history and business."

He looked at me with renewed interest and leaned closer to speak softly, "What is it that you do?"

"You see Joe I really get this good vibe from you, so I'll tell you. But honestly I don't want this repeated to anyone, understand?" I waited for him to nod, "I'm an underworld crime lord. A King Pin," I whispered back in the same hushed tone.

He was between shock and fear from the look in his eyes, "W-What?"

I was between falling off the chair in hysterical laughter over the expression of fright on his face or smacking him on the back and yelling a huge 'I'm just joking.'

It was entirely much more fun however, to keep on teasing.

"And you and Kaoru are um-" he tried to ask through the terror.

"Are what?" I grinned.

"I mean I didn't mean that whole thing about the simple minded, hot body comment. You know that was a joke right?" he laughed nervously.

I chuckled and took a sip of my drink just as Kaoru appeared in my line of vision. She made her way gracefully through the crowd, her eyes locked onto mine and I was done with the clown for now.

I handed him my empty glass, "And Jack, don't tell anyone I told you alright? I _can_ trust you can't I?"

He nodded his head eagerly as I rose and walked towards her. We met a few feet away from the bar and she looked just as illustrious as before.

"Hey handsome, getting along okay with the boys?"

It was becoming apparent to me how much I was getting to really like her one liners. She was the absolute antithesis of what that jackass was making her out to be; smart, witty and funny. But he was right on the mark with one thing, she was strikingly beautiful.

"Of course! I always play nice," I replied.

I noticed the symphony of the live music for the first time that night. It wasn't entirely my style, but it was nice; soft, smooth and classy. Just like her. I also noticed the constant shuffling of people around me and it was getting slightly irritating to have one person or another brush by.

"Care to dance?" she asked with interest.

How could I consciously say no? It'd hurt her feelings. And besides, it's not like she was the worst person I could've danced with.

I gently took her hand and led her to the center of the dance floor. When we reached the center, she stepped closer to me and placed a hand on my shoulder, the other gently nestled in my palm. My other hand rested on her hip as we started to move together to the sound of the music.

"You're good at this," she commented.

Her breath tickled my ear as she spoke, her warm body pressed up against mine. It's not that I'd ever slow danced before; it was that I was actually enjoying it this time.

"You were expecting me to be stepping on your feet and tripping the whole time?" I teased back speaking softly into her ear, savoring the smell of her hair under my nose.

Her petite frame shook with a soft laughter as she looked at me and continued to laugh, "No! Why would I expect that?"

Both her hands were now on either of my shoulders as we continued to dance slowly. My hands rested on her waist and I resisted the urge to caress the smooth skin of her back.

"Well if I were a sophisticated, smart and beautiful young woman who met some gruff, small-time PI, I'd probably assume the same thing," I replied with a smirk.

She gave me a small tap on my shoulder and giggled, "It's not fair what you're doing you know."

Just then I felt her press herself towards me even more and I could just taste the sweetness of her lips. She was so dangerously close.

"And what am I doing?" I replied.

It was wrong; very wrong to lead her on in the obvious game of flirtation, but I couldn't help it. My heart wouldn't hear a word of reason.

"Well," she looked up briefly in thought for a second, making her look absolutely innocent and carefree. A pang of guilt shot through my heart for a lusting over someone so pure.

"First you're assuming that _I_ assumed that you were a bad dancer because of some biased, preconceived notions I would have about you," she explained.

I was mesmerized by not only her beauty but also her eloquence, grace along with her innocence. It was very wrong to want her so badly.

"Then," she continued and all my attention was on her once more, "you're grouping me under this notion that I would be that shallow, ignorant and biased based solely on my financial and social status."

"I would never do that Kaoru," I softly replied to her. When was the last time I was not only enjoying the company of a beautiful woman, but also appreciating the conversation?

"Oh but you have Kenshin," she nibbled slightly on her lower lip not taking her eyes from mine. I felt myself completely drowning in those sapphire eyes as I practically hung off of every word that she spoke.

"Oh? How so?" I asked amused and highly intrigued.

"Well," she started with a certain amount of hesitancy and a bashful smile, "the other night when-"

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, CAN I PLEASE HAVE YOUR ATTENTION!"

Damn the timing; just as she was about to say something, a portly, slightly balding man called for everyone's attention.

The music stopped and unfortunately, we had to part from each other.

"I would like to invite Ms. Kaoru Kamiya of the Kamiya family to do the honor of cutting the inaugural ribbon for the new 'Independence Research Center'."

The announcement was followed by a sea of clapping from all around and she moved slowly from my side to make her way towards the stage.

"Be right back again," she winked discretely and whispered before walking away.

As she spoke the words, my throat dried up. Something just felt wrong. I needed to watch her like a hawk and not let her out of my sight for a second. I looked up in the balconies, all corners of the large room, and at anyone that might even look suspicious.

Kaoru reached the podium on stage and the old guy from before started off on something about their best wishes going out to her and her sister.

She quickly took the microphone, "Thank you Mr. Wayne."

As she stood up on stage in front of me, the spotlight shining brightly on her, surrounded by so many important people, and speaking for a good cause, I realized just how out of my reach she was. I was captivated by her beauty but so was everyone else from a quick look around.

"First off I would like to thank all of you for your well wishes for Tomoe's safe return," she spoke with as much strength as she could muster. She was doing a brilliant job so far in my opinion.

"Our family is suffering a great deal but we also understand the important of this cause. There are millions suffering around the world, and we would never give up the good fight. I would like to add that no matter what happens the Kamiya family is dedicated to the advancement of all humanity. The research center that will be opened would not have been possible if it hadn't been for your generosity. I hope that you all will continue to be just as generous so one day we can rid our world of terminal cancer in all its forms once and for all. This box of microscopes represents all of your hard work and dedication to this cause. Congratulations to you all!"

The crowd erupted into applause and she ceremoniously posed for photographs while cutting the ribbon on the first box of microscopes for the new facility. I thought it was a bit silly at first, but the cause seemed well worth it. I clapped and watched as she continued to pose for pictures.

My cell phone vibrated and I retrieved it from my pants pocket and walked towards the back to get away from the loud crowd all around me. I still had a good view of the stage from where I stood and answered the phone.

"Sano this better be good," I snapped.

"Megumi just called about the status of her tests," he answered ignoring my irritated tone as usual.

"And?" I continued to watch as Kaoru shook some hands and the crowd on stage got bigger and bigger. I moved from one location to another so I could both hear Sano and see Kaoru.

"And you asked me to keep you updated with the case right? She said that she was able to extract some pulp from a few teeth that were left intact on our burn victim."

"Uh huh," it was irritating because I did want to hear the rest of this but at the same time her form was growing less and less visible from the rest of the crowd.

"She said she'll be able to extract some samples of genetic material from that pulp and test it. So I suppose that's one step in the right-"

"_Shit I can't see her!" _

"Sano, I'm gonna have to call you back. I don't see Kaoru," I didn't wait for a reply and snapped the phone shut.

It took me less than 5 seconds to push my way through the crowd and to the stage. With every step my heart lurched deeper down into my gut because I still didn't see her anywhere.

"_Fuck Himura!" _I screamed to myself. _"Where is she?"_

I was frantically looking this way and the next for any signs of her. The music had started up; no longer soft but in stead loud and people began to drink and mingle loudly.

It was like being in the middle of a herd of stampeding cows; my head was starting to hurt, my pulse raced and my anger flared.

Just then I saw the fat man who announced Kaoru on stage earlier as he wobbled down the stage stairs. I rushed over to him and quite rudely asked, "Where's Kaoru?"

It wasn't a question as much as a demand and he looked a bit shaken up at some red-headed freak getting right in his face.

"Excuse me?" he asked in a pompous tone and I was tempted to rip the blubber right off of his multi-chinned neck.

"I am Detective Himura and I want to know where Ms. Kaoru Kamiya is right this moment. I'm not to let her out of my sight," I managed to growl while holding on to the lapel of suit coat.

"Young man, get your hands off of me. I don't care who you are!" he huffed.

"_I'm gonna' kill-"_

"Oh I think she went towards the restroom," a woman just behind the fat man answered. Apparently she'd been listening to the entire conversation.

I let go of him roughly and rushed in the direction she pointed to.

"I say, if you're supposed to be guarding her, you're doing a terrible job so far!" he yelled behind me.

Normally I would've turned around to show him what's what, but I had more important things on my mind.

I ran out of the main room and asked a few waiters passing by where the women's restrooms were. They pointed me down the hallway and to the right. I didn't bother to mutter a thank you or acknowledge their strange looks over a man asking for a women's bathroom. In stead I was already shooting around the corner and headed towards a door marked "Ladies".

I tried the door knob. _"Locked. Fuck!" _

I knocked several times, "Kaoru?"

There was no response. I knocked again, "Kaoru? Are you in there? Answer me if you are."

Still nothing. I pounded on the door, "IS SOMEONE IN THERE? HELLO? KAORU!"

The situation was getting more and more hopeless with each passing second that I had no idea where she was.

"KENSHIN!"

I snapped my head back at the sound. It was her; her voice was unmistakable. And by way she screamed it was evident she was in trouble.

It took a matter of seconds to back up and ram through the door; cracking and buckling the wood as I passed through and into the room where she was.

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**Special thanks to: to **Kano Mayotteru Hoshi and Antica

**A huge thanks, and several hugs go out to all my reviewer and readers. You guys rock and I really appreciate the support!**

**Patience Halliwell: I can't wait to finish my fic so I can read yours! Don't worry, I haven't forgotten!**

**You guys are the absolute best and are a huge part of what makes writing so much fun!**

**Muah!**

**dee**


	10. NEED YOU

Chapter 10

**Need You**

"_What the hell do you mean you don't want him disposed of?" he asked, anger evident in his tone. _

"_I mean I don't want him disposed of. What part of that don't you understand?"_

"_He's a thorn and needs to be removed. Permanently. What's the reasoning behind this?" the shadowy figure demanded._

"_He's too important and also well-connected. If we do anything to him, it'll only raise suspicions and that's not what we need right now."_

"_I'll be damned if some small-time-"_

"_That's enough damnit! Don't overstep your boundaries. Remember what your place is and we'll both get through this."_

"_Don't threaten me-"_

"_Get out now!"_

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Have you ever had that feeling of being stuck in slow motion as you get into a car accident, or trip and fall, or completely put your foot in your mouth while talking to someone?

After rushing the bathroom door, I could still feel the splintered and broken wooden shards falling on me as I went through it. I looked around and could only see a blur of rich red carpeting, soft lights hanging low, some glittery stuff here and there and then her.

She was crouched down on the bathroom floor crying hysterically. I looked at the wall at the back of the room where the window had been left open. It tore at my heart to have to choose between chasing down whoever did this to her-and god knows I wanted to and beat the crap out of him-or rushing over to her side.

But I wasn't sure if she was hurt or not. She was sobbing, and still repeatedly calling my name. She was cradling her head with both hands and I couldn't see her face.

I took one more look at the open window; with each passing second the person we were looking for was getting further and further away.

"Kenshin…" I heard her cry.

My decision was made when I was pulled towards her and immediately went to her side.

I wrapped my arms around her to try and assess any injuries. She shrieked and jumped back unsure of who exactly was touching her.

"Kaoru it's me. Kenshin," I assured and kept my arms around her.

She was trembling so much and it only raised my fury.

"Kenshin?" she looked up and I saw her eyes again; although crying, her mascara running where she'd rubbed it, and obviously shaken up, I didn't see any bruises immediately.

"Are you ok-" I tried to ask. But as soon as she confirmed it was me holding her and not the attacker, she threw her arms around me and buried her face into the crock of my neck where she began to cry.

I pulled out my cell phone and called Sano for some backup and an ambulance.

As I finished on the phone with him, I turned my attention to the woman still in my arms crying into my chest.

Soothing her hair down, I held onto her for dear life, "Tell me what happened Kaoru? Did he hurt you?"

I wasn't sure if it was only her trembling; as soon as I'd heard her scream it was as if my body responded automatically. She continued to cry and hold on to me as if someone would tear her away.

"It's okay Kaoru," I whispered.

"Kaoru…" I whispered in her ear as I swept her up in my arms and made my way out of the room.

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

"What the hell do you mean you can't take her home right now?" Sano screeched into my ear as I drove through the late night streets of New York.

She was safely tucked away in the passenger seat next to me, but I still kept looking to the side to make sure. I'd failed. Miserably! In protecting her and keeping her safe from harm.

I wouldn't let it happen again.

Kaoru had my suit coat wrapped tightly around her and was slouched down low in the seat. She was still trembling; still afraid and it was my fault.

"What part of 'she's scared out her mind right now' don't you understand?" I spat back.

I was speeding and pushing my ratty old car to its limit as it plowed through the night air. Deep down I knew it would be best to drive to the place tonight myself. Depending on a cab or public transportation can be a real hassle. I don't know why I was in such a rush, or if I was even running from someone. All I knew was I needed to get her somewhere safe.

Keh. Scratch that, I don't run from anything. If anyone was following us, especially the ass that did this to her, I wouldn't mind facing him right here and now.

"Kenshin! She's not some chick you pick up in a bar and take back to your place for-"he scolded.

"Don't fucking start with that shit Sagara," I warned, practically spitting venom into the phone. "She said she didn't want to go home. And who's to say whoever did this won't be waiting there for her?"

"I'll have the place swept and covered with officers," he tried again, backing off a bit.

"Not good enough. You said the same about the location of the party tonight. Whoever it was still managed to get to her," I beat the steering wheel as I was reminded yet again how miserably I'd failed. My anger was starting to get beyond my control and I honestly didn't want to take it out entirely on Sano.

I took a breath at the silence on the other end in an effort to dispel some of my rage. "Hello?" I snapped.

"Yea, Kenshin-I don't know about this-"

"Sano if you want me to take her back to her place I will. But she was crying, trembling and repeatedly pleading with me that she didn't want to go home. If you have any ideas at this point tell me!"

I heard him sigh on the other end, "Let me ask you one thing Himura."

He rarely called me Himura, which meant he was dead serious.

_Sano continued after weighing his words, "Why didn't you just go after the person? Why didn't you chase 'em down?"_ he asked without accusation in his tone.

Well I'll be damned if he wasn't being particularly intuitive at the moment. But I underestimate him sometimes. He didn't get to the position he was at by being a complete moron.

"She was crouched down on the floor and I wasn't sure if she'd been hurt, shot, stabbed whatever," I replied. "I had to tend to her first as the sole witness and victim Sano."

He was silent for a moment and I held my breath thinking what could possibly be going through his mind at the moment.

"I probably would've done the same I guess."

I breathed a sigh of relief discretely, "So what do you want me to do then?"

He knew that I was right ultimately, and I knew that he would make the right decision.

"We're at the scene right now. You're sure she's not hurt? Should've waited for the medic_"_ he asked sternly.

"Yea," I replied looked over at her. She was practically curled up in a ball, her head almost entirely tucked into my coat, her hair slightly disheveled. "She's fine but just wanted to get the hell out of there. No cuts or anything serious."

"I'll be here for any evidence, and I'm sending Aoshi over to her apartment right now. So go ahead and take her home, but answer your phone the minute I call you Kenshin," he quickly added.

"Yea, I will," I assured swerving and dipping from lane to lane.

"I'll call you and keep you posted then. And Kenshin, just remember what we're doing here and who she is-"

"Sano damnit I know!" I interrupted. "I know," I added in a more even tone to emphasize my point.

"Fine," he sighed and hung up.

After another 15 minutes of driving, we screeched to a halt in front of my apartment. I switched off the engine, killing the headlights and sat perfectly still looking in the rear view. After I was satisfied that we weren't followed, I turned over to her still form in the passenger seat.

I let out a breath and went to rouse her from her sleep, but as soon as I put my hands on her, she yelped and sunk deeper into the seat clutching the coat around her.

"Kaoru it's me, Kenshin," I soothed and leaned closer to her.

She didn't immediately answer and I knew she was in no condition to climb the apartment stairs on her own. So I hopped out of my seat and went over to her side to open the passenger door.

After lifting her in my arms, I slammed the door shut with foot and wasn't entirely too concerned if the car was even locked.

Soon I stood outside my apartment door, still holding her in my arms and struggling for the keys in my pocket. Finally I managed to get the door open and walked into my dim apartment.

"_Shit, the place isn't even half way decent enough for her," _I cursed to myself. But then again, I hadn't exactly planned on bringing her back here at any point.

After unlocking and then securely locking and dead bolting the door, I was able to easily carry her to my bed and deposit her gingerly on top of it.

Well, at least I tried to deposit her because she was reluctant to remove her arms from around my neck and clung to me persistently.

"Kaoru, its okay. We're in my apartment. No one's going to hurt you, I promise," I whispered in her ear.

"_Yes, that's right Himura. Keep making empty promises to her. That'll help you out," _I argued back with myself.

It didn't matter though. It didn't matter what I thought, because the only person I was concerned with at the moment was her.

Slowly her arms unlocked and slid off from my neck and shoulders. I missed her warmth slightly, but quietly tucked her under the sheets. Looking down at her, I noted the darkness of her makeup smudging and marring her perfect skin. Her nose was puffy and red from crying and her cheeks were stained with tears.

I rose to change and try to get her some coffee, but as soon as I shifted my weight to stand from the bedside, she sat up and grabbed my hand.

"Where're you going?" she pleaded, tears filling her eyes once more. "Don't leave!"

It angered me to see her so terrified. Even the darkness and shadows of the room were playing mind games with her traumatized head.

I covered her hand with my free one, "I'm not going anywhere. Just going to get you some water. Okay?"

I couldn't help but shift some of her bangs out of those scared blue eyes. Every bit of me tried to fight the urge to be close to her, sooth her fears and worries away. But sitting there looking at her I knew I didn't stand a chance to try and resist.

She sniffled and sat back, letting go of my hand and giving me the chance to do as I said.

A few seconds later I walked into the kitchenette and started a fresh pot of coffee. Tonight I would need it. I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge as well as a basin of warm water and a clean hand towel.

She sat up in bed, leaning on a pillow against the metal headboard. I walked in silently and sat at the edge placing the basin and towel on the nightstand and opening the bottled water for her.

I watched as she took a few sips of it handed it back to me. Our motions were silent, wordless and as if it was the most natural thing in the world. But it wasn't.

It wasn't natural for a defenseless woman to be attacked like that by the person that possibly murdered her sister. The thoughts angered me; her fears, tears and wounds.

Thinking of wounds, I took the towel and after dipping and squeezing the excess water out of it, I began to wipe away most of her smudged makeup.

Even the towel's texture seemed to be too rough for her sensitive skin. Everywhere I gently rubbed became slightly rosy-red and damp.

"Are you hurt?" I finally managed to ask.

She looked at me as I tended to her; eyes wide with an emotion I couldn't put my finger on. I wondered if she was in trauma and considered calling Megumi for a second.

"No," she managed to whisper. Her voice was heavy with fatigue.

"Did you see who did it?" I continued to gently wipe away the grime from her skin. She was above all this I thought to myself over and over.

Her brows furrowed slightly and she dropped her gaze to the bed sheets.

"I-I don't remember exactly what happened but I was just standing in front of the mirror checking my make up before I was about to head out. Next thing I know I had my mouth covered from behind," her voice cracked slightly as she relived the horrific event.

"I know it was a guy because he seemed to be so much bigger than me. He wore all black and looked like a blur from behind. He spun me around so quickly from the mirror that I nearly fell and-and I remember I tried to scream or do something," she continued as a tear rolled down her cheek.

I wiped it away, "Do you remember anything else? Something he might have said?"

She shook her head as more tears escaped, "I think he was saying something in my ear, but I was so scared. I felt so disgusted while he was breathing on me and holding me that I was just concentrating on screaming through this hand over my mouth. The next thing I knew was you calling for me on the other side."

Her eyes looked up at me once more, filled with hope, "I knew that somehow I needed to let you know I was in there. If you left I didn't know what he would've done to me. So I just put all my energy into getting away from him for even a second; just trying to get his hand away from over my mouth."

As she spoke, her voice became louder, filling once more with the energy and need to survive that most people go through when in danger. I think it was called fight or flight mode.

"Good girl," I used the towel to wipe away her tears. Even if there wasn't any dirt left on her skin, I would've continued to sit there doing that.

She sniffled again and continued, "I don't know how, but I managed to dig the heel of my shoe into his leg or hit him in the shin. His hand moved slightly from over my mouth and I bit it! That's when I able to scream for you. He said something-I-I think a curse and pushed me aside and that's all I remember until you were holding me."

"It's okay, we'll find him; whoever he is. Alright?" I promised. Yea, at that point I probably would've promised her everything. I'm such an idiot.

"Kenshin," I looked up as she scooted closer to me from her spot and held my hands with both of hers, "If you hadn't been there I don't know what might've happened."

Her eyes filled with tears once again and glistening in the dim room light.

"Kao-" I tried to start lamely.

"No matter how many officers there would've been, no one would've been as caring as you to go and look for me like that. I-I owe you my life and so much more," she stated as another rush of emotion overcame her.

"Stop Kaoru," I gently hushed her, "It's my job to protect you and I would never let you down."

The next few minutes seemed straight out of the twilight zone. I mean just plain surreal and like an outer body experience entirely.

Before I could continue or even think of what else to do, she had her arms wrapped around me and her face buried against my chest. My heart raced with trepidation as I slowly wrapped my arms around her and held her.

A faint sob escaped from her and I brushed my lips against her head and whispered that everything would be alright.

I wondered if she could hear or feel how rapidly my heart was racing. She was there, in my apartment, in my room, on my bed, crying against my chest as I gently kissed her forehead. The entire scene seemed ethereal.

She was too important, too brilliant a star, and genuinely too good for someone like me to holding like that.

And even though as those thoughts raced through my mind, I was unable to pull away from her. I relished the feel of her draped in my arms and flush against my chest.

I vaguely heard her whisper a few things against the silence of the room. Then I felt my hands moving up and down her back, finally able to feel the softness of her bare skin there. It reminded me vaguely that she still needed a change of clothes; she still needed to be tended to.

But then there was her voice; soft and inviting. She moved her head from my chest and rested her chin on my shoulder where she continued to whisper my name. Her breath hit my ear and sent shivers down my spine. I wondered briefly what she was doing to me, but stupid sensory overload told me to forget it and just enjoy.

Then there were her lips; I felt her press her mouth against the folds of my ear and I swore my eyes nearly rolled back in my head. Her hands kneaded and held my arms and shoulders as she continued to ravage my senses.

She began to place feather soft kisses along my neck and went along my jaw line. At every intermittence I heard my name drop from those petal-soft lips.

I grew dizzy sitting down and my body responded almost instantly to her; my skin burned against hers until finally her hands cupped by face and her lips found mine.

All I could feel was her soft, sweet mouth kissing me; her tongue finding its way inside to touch and feel my own; her fingers gently grazing over my scalp and through my hair; her incredibly soft and warm body pressed against my throbbing one.

It started slow, unknowing and slightly apprehensive, but soon we were kissing each other feverishly. I heard her moan several times and that only served to deepen my desires to continue and ravish her.

Slowly she sank back against the bed top and I followed suit, hovering over her; my hands on either side her as she continued to hold my face and keep my lips pressed against hers.

My mouth trailed lower on her neck, following a path to even more treasures. She moaned and writhed against the feel of my tongue tasting her skin and at that sound my eyes shot open.

I looked down and realized I wasn't dreaming. She was really lying there in my bed, eyes shut and ready for me to do whatever I wanted to her. She was really Kaoru and not some random woman from a bar I picked up for the night.

She wasn't just some woman.

"_It's Kaoru," _my mind told me solemnly.

I stopped and shot up from over her. I practically jumped off of the bed and stood looking down at her now confused face looking back up at me; my heart was still racing, my body in a torturous state cut off from pleasure.

"Kenshin?" she whispered wondering what happened. Her lips were swollen, the straps of her dress slightly slouched down from her shoulders.

"I'm sorry," I managed to whisper without sounding like the pathetic, breathless moron I was. "We can't do this Kaoru."

"But," she immediately sat up and held onto my hand bringing it to her lips, "I want to-"

"No," I replied sternly and slipped my hand from hers. Her hopeful eyes once more became sad.

I immediately leaned closer and lay her back, covering her form with the comforter. "You're scared and in trauma right now. We can't do this, alright?"

"No, Kenshin-" she tried to argue.

I placed a finger over her lips and smiled, "Shh, I need you to get some rest. I'll be right outside on the couch okay?"

She looked weary and hurt, but I knew ultimately she just needed to sleep it all off. I probably needed the same.

After wiping away a few tears and waiting until she closed her eyes, I grabbed my pajamas and walked out of the room, leaving the door slightly cracked open.

The coffee was long forgotten and I switched off the machine. My body felt heavy with exhaustion as I plopped down on the couch and stared at the ceiling.

I could still taste her on my lips and feel her hands roaming all over; I was still quite literally throbbing for her.

"_What was that?"_ I wondered.

"_What am I doing? What am I letting happen to me?" _

Finally the thoughts subsided from my conscious as sleep took over. I was more than happy to surrender to it.

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

**Ah…it's so forbidden, it's sinfully delicious! **

**Special thanks:** Kano Mayotteru Hoshi and Antica

**Hope you guys are still with me on this fic and enjoying it.**


	11. GONE

Chapter 11

**GONE**

She was gone. Back home. Back where she belonged.

I sat in Sano's office, thinking over that morning's and previous night's events.

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

_As I'd awoken, I felt a warm lump pressed up against me on the already small couch. Immediately I looked down and saw our bodies wrapped around each other; she'd changed into one of my full-sleeved dress shirts during the course of the night. _

_I guess I'd been more tired than even I suspected. In any case, it nearly took my breath away to find her in my arms and I tried hard to remember what had transpired._

_Thinking back, I remembered stopping a fevered kiss. I'd slept on the couch, but how was it that she was in my arms now?_

_In the midst of my staring at her and trying to remember, she slowly opened her bright big blue eyes. I was tempted to caress her soft skin once again, feel her jet black velvet hair wrapped around my fingers, but I knew where that would lead to. _

"_Kaoru how-"_

"_I couldn't sleep alone last night," she replied softly. Her voice sounded horse and strained. _

_I closed my eyes in an attempt to hide the frustration raging inside. Didn't she realize what she was doing? Why was she so persistent in trying to be with someone like me? _

_Her lips grazed my cheek and for a second my heart told me to forget everything and let her keep going. And then my brain jerked into function finally. _

_I pulled her back from me, "Kaoru." My tone was harsher than I intended._

_It was hard enough not to think about her without having to withstand her so near me; toying with me. _

_Without further disturbing her too much I rose from the couch and walked into the bathroom. That was probably the longest, coldest shower I'd ever taken in a long time._

_Afterwards she seemed eerily quiet and distant. She walked into the bathroom, showered and changed back into the previous nights clothing._

_Sano called and informed me that he was on his way over to take her back home. Everything seemed to check out and Aoshi would stay there during the day along with a few other officers for protection._

_I was between relief and a sore emptiness when she finally pulled away in the squad car. _

_We hadn't spoken a word to each other after I'd stopped her for a second time. It left me feeling terribly guilty for having hurt her, but I knew it had to happen that way. _

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

"Kenshin."

I looked up at the sound of my name and found my former partner sitting in his seat across the oak desk.

"We're going to take the official testimony from her. But if you have something to say go ahead."

I looked at him and sat up, crossing my leg over my knee.

"Nothing that she probably won't repeat. She said some guy dressed entirely in black surprised her from behind and had his hand over her mouth. I showed up outside the door just in time to stop whatever it was he wanted to do, and he apparently jumped out the bathroom window after pushing her to the floor. She never got a look at his face," I finished lamely. I didn't want to keep thinking about that incident over and over.

"Something doesn't add up," he finally mumbled.

I looked up in surprise, "Meaning what?"

He looked at me squarely, "The bathroom window, that's what."

"What about it?" I asked genuinely confused.

"We found out from management that it's locked at all times," he replied matter-of-factly.

I glared at him, "And?"

"It wasn't broken. It was unlocked from the inside," he simply replied.

"What the fuck?" I replied looking at him.

"Yea, I guess you were busy assessing Kaoru's injuries so you didn't notice," he replied. "Anything else I need to know about last night?"

For a second I was about to pounce on the defensive against him, but I played it cool. That'd only further his suspicions, if he even had any. Was I getting paranoid?

"No one out of the ordinary that she spoke to during the party. And she wasn't out of my sight except for when she was called away to plan the ribbon cutting. Then the actual ribbon cutting but that was in front of everyone and finally when she went to the rest room," I answered.

"Hm."

"What?" I asked. There was something he wasn't telling me. This whole investigation was under a cloud of secrecy. And I absolutely hate being in the dark about anything I'm involved in.

"Nothing of interest for now. We'll need to follow up with that window lock though. We can't even find the damn thing," he replied.

"You're worried about a window lock?" I questioned, "What about this thing with Megumi now?"

"Yea," he started shuffling through some paperwork, "she's found some workable genetic material from the tooth pulp and will hopefully be able to replicate the DNA to a workable sample. Then she can synthesis it for the genetic profile we need."

"When will it be ready?" I asked.

"She's put a rush on it, so hopefully soon. Hey Kenshin, let me ask you something seriously."

I looked him wondering what on Earth would be so damn important that he actually needed add 'seriously' to it. "Yea?"

"Did you ever ask her why she was so determined to have you as her date last night?"

My heart skipped a few beats at the question. It wasn't that it was Sano putting me on the spot, it was the fact that I wanted to know the very same answer. I probably had a better understanding of 'why' at this point, but I certainly wasn't about to tell him.

That's something he definitely didn't need for the investigation; an ex-cop turned PI that he stuck his neck out for to get on this case in the first place, canoodling with the victim's family member and possible target.

"No, didn't get the chance," I replied trying to sound as causal as possible.

"No?" he asked with a gleam in his eyes, "Not even when you two were waltzing all over the dance floor?"

"You had people undercover there? Watching us?" I asked with a hint of rage in my voice.

"Kenshin, you're not a cop, so under the superiors' orders I had no choice. She had to be kept under close watch just in case we had a shot at catching the person responsible."

"Yea," I stood up from my chair, "_that_ worked really well last night."

I went to walk out of the office.

"Wait," he yelled behind me.

"There are a few things about this case that you don't know. And-" he started.

"So you're telling me that you kept information from me? What a surprise," I remarked with as much sarcasm as I could muster.

He let out a sigh, "You're making this a lot more complicated, that's all I can say."

"You have something else to say?" I snapped.

"Yea, do me a favor and take your head out of your ass. This case isn't as open and shut as it looks. Keep your wits about you Kenshin," he warned.

"Keh," I walked out without another word to him or anyone else.

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

A little while later I was home kicking back on my couch. I normally would've thought to go straight to some random bar. But I was hardly in the mood. I would've also just grabbed the liquor stashed away in the cabinet, but coffee seemed better for now.

I was sitting there on my couch like a complete fool; out of the loop on the investigation, not knowing how even approach Kaoru; and of course, completely feeling worthless at the moment.

I sipped my coffee and looked thoughtfully at the closed manila files of the Kamiya family members on the table in front of me.

What had Sano said? _"Keep your wits about you…this case isn't as open and shut as it looks."_

I wondered exactly what the hell all that meant. There was something he wasn't telling me; which meant there was another reason why all the superiors, Saitou and Muraki, were up his ass all the time regarding this case.

Setting the coffee cup down on the table I went to go reach for a file when my cell phone went off.

I huffed and went to retrieve it out my pocket. The ID showed a private number, I contemplated on whether or not I should even answer.

"Yea?" I finally relented and answered.

"Kenshin! Thank god," someone whispered into the line.

"Kaoru?" I immediately recognized the voice.

"Yes, I need to see you right away," she replied.

I noted the rushed and worried tone in her voice, "What's wrong? What's going on? Are you okay?" I was on my feet immediately ready to rush out.

"I can't say anything right now. I'll meet you at Korova Milk Bar on 200 Avenue A at 10 o'clock tonight. Don't tell anyone, including the police. Please just be there, okay?" she quickly relayed sounding as if she had someone breathing down her neck.

"Yea fine, but-" I tried to get more information. My heart was panicked and my mind a boggle between finding out if she was hurt or if someone was after her.

"I have to go, bye!" she interrupted and the line went dead between us.

After staring at the mute phone for a few seconds trying to figure out exactly what it was that I heard, I scratched the information down on a paper quickly: _Korova Milk Bar, 200 Ave A._

I looked at my watch and it read, 6:22 pm.

"_Fuck!" _I cursed. I had nearly 4 hours to kill until I'd finally know what was going on.

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

As I'd walked out of the bathroom, dripping wet with no more than a towel draped around my waist, I noticed that the alert light was flashing on the cell phone.

Flipping it open I found a missed call from someone that I hadn't spoken to in quite a while and hadn't expected to speak to anytime soon. I contemplated on whether or not I even wanted to call him back.

"_Screw it."_

I set the cell phone down on the table and walked into the bedroom to change.

A few seconds later, I cursed while walking back outside and reaching for my phone.

"Sonuva bitch better have a good ass reason…" I muttered while flipping through the calls and pressing the talk button to connect.

"I see you decided to return my call for a change," Saitou's typical 'I'm an asshole and I don't care' tone greeted me.

I sat on the couch, "Yea, so what did you want?"

"I hear you're having quite a hard time with this case Sano's heading up," he commented.

There was a hint of humor in his tone and I deeply loathed it.

"Hard time? Me? No, it's your boys in blue that are having the hard time so they turned to me as usual," I replied.

"Himura I don't want you screwing up this investigation and if you know something that we don't it's a serious felony to act as an obstruction-" he started on one of this famous, long-winded lectures.

"I'm not the one that's an obstruction. Like I said, _they_ came to me for help. Now what they're hiding from me that could potentially help blow this case wide open is another story," I interrupted.

"Himura you were always the one to act too irrationally and ask questions later."

"Saitou you've never been the one for social calls, what's this about? Or did you just call to remind me to play nice with your pets?" I replied disregarding his comment.

"I called to remind you that you're working for _us_ on this investigation and also offer some information that might help."

"I'm listening."

"Kenshin as you know Megumi is currently working on the DNA analysis on that unidentified body we found. You and I both know that it's Tomoe."

"Never been the one for false hope," I added dryly.

"We're investigating the Kamiya family," he informed promptly.

I was taken off guard for at the moment and had no immediate response.

"We're investigating them for a number of possibly federal-related felonies-"

"Federal?" I interrupted in shock, "The Feds are involved in this?"

"To some degree," he replied obviously not wanting to give away too much.

"What are the charges? Sano's aware of this?" I spat back quickly.

"The charges are not relevant to the investigation that you and detective Sagara are involved in," he replied in a stern voice toned to have me back down. "But yes, he is aware that this case is larger than it looks."

The entire room seemed to be spinning out of control. "Sonnuva-"

"Kenshin," he broke through my thought-process, "you, Sano and Aoshi are not the only ones that are a part of this. So get it out of your head that you can do this alone. And if you have any information that we don't know about, I implore you to go directly to Sano with it. He'll know what to do with it then."

I remained quiet trying to figure out the entire mess I was involved in at this point.

"Tell me one thing Saitou," I finally replied, "What's Kaoru Kamiya's role in the federal investigation?"

He was quiet for a while before finally answering, "As of now, she has none. That's all I can say."

It was hardly the answer I was looking for, but it still gave me some sliver of hope that she wasn't involved to that degree. She was still the lost, innocent young woman searching desperately for her missing older sister.

"What's your feeling of her so far?" he asked suddenly.

"What'd you mean?" I replied trying to sound nonchalant but well aware of how my heart was beginning to race already.

"You're a good judge of character," he clarified, "What do you think of her character?"

"Hm," I feigned contemplation as I swept a hand across my brow. I didn't notice how nervous his question had made me.

"She seems like a dedicated sister, daughter and friend, well-rounded and involved with her family. Seems like a good person from what I gather," I replied. There was a constant need on my part to not end up sounding like some gushing 12 year old when it came to her.

"I see," was his simple response. "Well then, keep your eyes open and work well with Sano."

"Phft," I started.

"Don't give me that Kenshin," he snapped at me. "You're not on my force anymore but you're certainly working on a high-priority case for me. Don't forget that."

With that he hung up and I was listening to dead air again. His shrill voice was still ringing in my head, the words still burning into my conscious.

"I knew I shouldn't have called him back," I muttered walking into my room to get some clothes on.

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ------------------------**

**Special thanks:** Kano Mayotteru Hoshi and Antica

**Sort of a reverse advance birthday present. It's my bday Nov. 6th, but I wanted to post this chap in time for you guys for it. So I hope you've enjoyed it so far. **


	12. MOLOKO

Chapter 12

**Moloko**

I walked into the bar after skeptically eyeing the inexplicable white mannequins in the window outside.

Now I'm not sure if it's me that's getting too old, but this place seemed a bit…weird. Aside from the milk white mannequins hanging from the dark walls, a few of them had small televisions in place of their heads and a variety of horror animation and other visuals playing constantly. Other televisions were placed around the space and it made me wonder why Kaoru would want to meet here.

She didn't seem like the type to hang out in a place like this. By now I felt even older looking around at the mix of Manhattanites; trendsetters, punks, goths and people of all kinds that can best be described as eccentric. I guess my red hair and odd eye color helped out despite the simple jeans and black leather jacket I was wearing.

Along with the televisions for heads on the mannequins, there were lots of curvy white vinyl couches scattered all over the layout of the bar. One table had a whole in its top with a mannequin seated underneath the glass and its head sticking out through it.

The darkly painted walls and exclusively white and black décor didn't make navigating around the groups of people easy. And although the televisions were silent, the sound of the loud music overpowered most conversation.

I finally spotted her sitting at the edge of the L-shaped bar with even more white mannequins suspended from the ceiling behind it. She was already sipping a drink out of her fish-bowl shaped martini glass.

If ever in my life I did a double-take, it was when I first laid eyes on her sitting atop the leather bar chair. She was wearing a long black knitted wrap dress; the matching black leather buckle cinched her petite waist allowing a better view of her curves.

Her long dark hair fell down her back and my eyes roamed still lower to the black knee-length leather boots she was wearing. Her legs were crossed showing off the rest of her toned thighs from the slit in the dress. I took a breath and walked up to her.

It was a relief to see she wasn't hurt.

"Are you okay?" I practically whispered into her ear as I sat down next to her at the bar. It would be difficult to speak over the blaring music, but at least we weren't in danger of having someone eavesdrop on the conversation.

She turned to me as if snapping out of a trance and smiled, "Yes, thank you for coming."

She wore blood-red lipstick, contrasting her creamy complexion and otherwise bare face. I was taken aback at how much older she looked.

"What happened?" I asked wanting to get to the root of the problem right away.

She took a look around quickly and leaned towards me.

I leaned closer as well so her lips were hovering over my ear.

"He contacted me," she replied with a grim look on her face.

"The guy from the bathroom? How? Are you alright?" I asked; my anxiousness and anxiety getting the best of me.

She placed her hand on my arm to calm me, "I'm alright Kenshin."

"_Bullshit,"_ I seethed, _"Sano told me they cased her whole place making sure she wasn't in any danger."_

"He left a message with Misao. A letter actually," she grabbed a white paper from her leather purse and handed it to me.

As I went to open it, her hand on my arm stopped me. She gave me a knowing look, "Not here."

I wondered what or who in the bar was making her anxious and so uneasy. Complying with her statement, I folded the letter and after placing it within a napkin, tucked it away into my coat pocket.

"Do you know him? What does he want?" I asked.

"I don't know," she looked down at the drink in front of her, "He just said not to get the police involved any further or else he would make the family pay."

"_What the hell?"_ I thought incredulously. _"Who is this guy? Is he tormenting them just for the hell of it? Or something more?"_

The situation wasn't making any sense; the missing sister, murdered possible lover, attack on Kaoru, investigation into her family and now this. There were huge chunks of the picture missing, which was causing a lot of heartbreak to befall on the woman at my side.

I hadn't noticed I was staring at her. She turned to me again with a brave smile, "Don't you want anything to drink before we leave?"

"Ah," I was caught off guard, "Leave? Where-"

"Try a Moloko!" she smiled, "That's what I'm having."

Before I could get a word in edgewise, she already motioned for the bartender and placed the order.

A drink was placed in front of me and I looked up at the bartender quizzically.

"It's Bailey's, White Crème de Menthe, Ice Cream and Oreo Cookies," he shouted over the music.

I raised an eyebrow and looked at Kaoru who merely smiled sweetly back at me. "You can't come to Korova Milk Bar and not try a Moloko drink. Try it!"

"_Of all the drinks," _I mentally cringed. I was a simple guy, with simple needs in drinks. Rum and coke or Jack and coke. Simple!

I took a sip as she looked at me expectantly and continued to smile sweetly. After glancing at her out of the corner of my eye, I downed the rest of the drink.

"One more Amy Fisher," she instructed to the bartender.

"Interesting name," I commented. "How many have you had?"

"Oh that's number two. I just…I've been on edge ever since the incident with the charity ball and now this…" she sighed and looked at me pleadingly.

"Just don't drown it all in liquor. It's not the road you want to go down," I replied.

"Thank you," she mouthed. She never stopped smiling. It put me off of my 'business only' mindset to constantly be confronted by someone like her.

She finished her drink and slid off the stool; it was our signal to discreetly leave the bar. In a matter of no time it all, it seemed that the bar had gotten more crowded.

The fact that it was a weekend and right around the time most people were just getting started with their nightly activities was to blame for the hordes of people crowding inside. As we slowly made our way through the dark bar, I noted that she was having a hard time; bumping shoulders and trying to squeeze past people that didn't even notice us.

I grabbed her hand and took the lead towards the exit. By the time we got outside in the open night air, I had my arm wrapped around her shoulders. It was a brisk night and she didn't even have a coat.

"I drove," I instructed, "you can warm up in the car."

"No," she suddenly replied and looked around, "let's take my car."

"But-?" I started to argue but soon felt her cool, slender fingers wrap around my hand and guide me down the street.

"Trust me," she ended the short debate over her shoulder.

She was different tonight somehow; in her look, her mannerisms and even her speech. It seemed as if she were a different person, save for the sweet smile I was so used to. Her clothing, her makeup and even the fact that she was practically pulling me down a dark street behind her.

I was desperate to know what was happening; If she was running from someone, scared, hurt or what.

"_Well that's obviously the case Sherlock Holmes. What else could it be?" _I reprimanded myself.

We got in her car and I couldn't stand the suspense she was putting me through any longer.

"Kaoru what is going on?" I snapped. "Wasn't Aoshi at the apartment all day today? Who the hell contacted you? What did they say? I need to know right now!"

She began to drive; her demeanor still shrouded in an inexplicable nature.

"Read the letter," she plainly instructed.

I looked at her as if looking at a completely different woman. _"Yes," _my mind screamed at me, _"a woman. Not a young girl or immature child. A woman."_

After a few seconds I pulled the letter clad in the napkin from my pocket and unfolded it as she continued to drive.

It wasn't hand-written. Unfortunately for investigator with the rise of the information technology era, criminals have also gotten more sophisticated.

"_So much for handwriting matches and identifications_,_" _I thought.

The letter was short, sweet and to the point. And I was horrified as I read it.

Kaoru Kamiya,

Do not involve the police any further if you wish to see your sister alive. Be present at exactly 11 pm by the docks tomorrow night.

That was it and it left a painful sharp feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"_How could she still be alive?" _I thought. _"I mean it would be wonderful if she were still alive. But the kidnapper only now contacts the family? After all this time?" _

Typically it wasn't the repertoire of a criminal to keep a hostage alive for so long.

"_Maybe they were waiting on the family to return? Maybe they got tired to waiting and decided to contact the next of kin? Maybe they're her father's ex-business partners out for revenge?"_

I played a million different scenarios in my mind over and over. Each one never quite made complete sense but there was one thing I became all too aware of.

I looked over to her driving the car, speeding down the highway now. Her eyes held an intensity that I'd never seen before in the short time I had known her. It was the hope that her sister was still alive, and if she could somehow fulfill their demands, maybe they would continue to let her live and return her.

It was the typical response that any family member would have in concern to a loved one's safety. I wanted to warn her and tell her how this could be a trap. There could still be a chance that they were playing on her emotions and had already killed Tomoe but were now after the money.

That was assuming that they wanted money.

Looking towards her again I knew in my heart that I didn't have the balls to tell her something like that; to see her break down and cry and fight me after realizing the shattering truth and possibility that her sister was the corpse found in the dumpster.

I decided to at least get home before attempting that approach.

"_Wait a minute," _my mind shot back into focus.

"Kaoru why are we going to my-" I began to ask her.

"Because I need your help Kenshin," she answered with conviction. "I've waited too long for the NYPD to try and help me. If they want cash then they can have it, but I need someone like you with me. I'll get my sister back."

Her last statement rang out in my head like a blearing alarm waking me from my daydreams. It would be damn near impossible to sway her from the track that she was following and for my own reasons, I wanted to see this through as well.

We arrived at my apartment a short while later and decided to park her car a streets away from there.

Once inside she sat down in silence on my couch and stared into space possibly contemplating on how to face the people behind the disappearance.

I couldn't keep my eyes from her and help but think how different she looked from that scared young woman I'd bought over for the first time. She looked up at me after several seconds, her eyes slightly watery.

"Do you think I could get a drink?" she asked.

I never noticed how fair her skin looked in contrast to her midnight hair. Her big blue hopeful eyes looked up at me and her full red lips parted as she asked me.

Only after nodding and silently walking into the kitchen did I realize I was holding my breath the entire time.

**-----------------------666666 ----------------------99999 ----------------------**

We both sat on the couch as she told me about the precious memories she held of her sister and family; her grandparents and great-grandparent's heritage, her family's lineage.

I listened quietly hearing the story of a loving and caring family and wondering how on earth I could begin to help this girl.

Perhaps it was the first good step on my part since getting myself involved with her, but I hadn't brought out liquor. Instead I popped the cork on an old bottle of white zinfandel I had for quite some time. I couldn't see her get belligerent again and so I stopped her hand from reaching the bottle of wine.

She looked at me and I quietly shook my head. To that she laughed.

"I have to admit I've been drinking a lot more these days," she chuckled setting her empty wine glass down.

"Remember what I said about that not being the best road to go down," I added.

"Yea," she sighed and looked at the empty glass.

A few seconds later her gaze rested on me and I felt my body begin to feel a familiar yearning.

"Do you know why I wanted to meet in that bar tonight?" she asked. Her question was completely out of left field and yet I was thankfully to get off the topic that seemed to overshadow both our lives at the moment.

"Honestly," I started and smiled, "I've been meaning to ask you that ever since I walked into that place."

She let out a chuckle and I was happy to see the joyful Kaoru again even if it was just for a few fleeting moments.

"Did you ever see this movie called Clockwork Orange?"

"Clockwork Orange," I mulled over the name for a few seconds but nothing familiar came to mind.

"No," I replied and looked at her curiously.

She smiled back, her red-stained lips looking even more appealing than usual. "It was this movie by Stanley Kubrick made in the early 70's and was set in a futuristic England. It's centered around the main character Alex who starts out as a gang member that beats and rapes helpless victims."

I squirmed slightly inwardly at the last few words. They seemed alien coming out of her mouth. And of course my law enforcement background didn't make listening to any of this too appealing.

"Eventually though," she continued, "Alex is caught and goes through reconditioning therapy and then let out of jail. The members of the gang are still after him though and after the therapy, Alex can't even defend himself since he hates all forms of violence. It sounds really weird I know, but the movie just blew me away, especially the main character. I mean, we try and hate Alex for what he does, but at the same time after the therapy we do feel bad for him. And to me it just felt like Alex was a representation of everything that's bad and wrong within ourselves and-"

"Kaoru," I softly interrupted, "I don't understand where you're leading me with this."

She looked at me with the same confusion I felt towards her at that point. Eventually she smiled again, "Sorry, I guess it's just my mood. A friend at my college told me about the film so I decided to get it. And then I found out about the bar that serves the same drinks that they drank along with the decorum similarities. I just thought that no one would think to look for me in a place like that and to be honest I really wanted to see it for myself."

Her voice lowered to barely a whisper and I could tell that fear, confusion and just not knowing what was to come had taken its toll on her.

"I think maybe I should get you home. You need to rest-" I started.

"No," she shot back and looked at me pleadingly biting her lower lip, "I don't want to go back there."

"Do you want me to take you to Misao's then?" I asked again.

Her gaze fell to her lap and she silently shook her head.

I was slightly exasperated as to what to do with her at this point and remained quiet whilst trying to think of some alternative. She wanted me to go with her and there was no way in hell I was going to let her go alone to those docks.

The other truth was that I was worried about her emotional well-being at that point. From the way she looked tonight to the way she was acting. Everything seemed amiss from what I'd always perceived Kaoru to be.

Maybe the stress and weight of her sister's disappearance was finally beginning to break her. And this new added trouble of a stranger following her, leaving her notes and instructions wasn't helping the situation.

I realized after some time that I'd been staring at her. We were both seated on the couch no more than a foot apart from each other.

"What is it Kenshin?" she asked me with her head to the side. Her voice was still soft and pained; her eyes shining towards me and there I saw the same innocence that was ever prevalent in her character.

Part of me wanted to say 'nothing' and turn away, dropping the topic entirely. But a huge part of me insisted I find out if she was alright.

"I'm worried for you Kaoru," I replied weakly. I hated the way I sounded; the way I felt at this point. Who was I to be worried for her? What was she to me?

For a moment I wanted to close my eyes almost wish her away. Wish her back to her normal family and life. She didn't belong here and shouldn't be going through any of this. And I wasn't the right person to try to help her through this. I was good at fighting, carrying a gun and logically thinking my way around a case. But all of this was beyond any training I went through.

My thoughts were broken and I snapped my eyes open to a warm touch at the side of my face. She'd leaned over slightly and touched her warm palm to my cheek.

In the past where I would've normally felt the harsh sting of reality and pulled away, now I only felt her soft warm skin against mine. She crept closer to me on the couch, not taking her hand from my face and I wished she wouldn't.

"You care that much?" she asked softly. Her breath hit my face; a mix between the bitter alcohol and her sweetness.

My heart was wrenched between doing what was probably right and forgetting it all.

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**Special thanks:** Kano Mayotteru Hoshi and Antica

**I know it's been a few weeks, but was acting up so I couldn't update any sooner than this even though the chapter was already done.**

**So…what do you think?**


	13. Sweet Sin of Mine

Chapter 13

**Sweet Sin of Mine**

**AN: **Alright folks, I barely bother you with an author's note when I know you just pretty much want to dive right into the chapter. But this one is important, so please read it carefully!

**Warning: **Adult content ahead and if you're not into lemons of any sort, please just skip this entire chapter and wait for the next one. It's a fair warning, so please be mindful of it!

Consider this your Christmas gift (for those of you that celebrate it).

I don't want to be responsible for any kiddies getting into material that's above their heads.

Otherwise, enjoy!

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"_God she's only 22" _my mind kept screaming.

Her wandering hands and hot mouth had my body paying no heed to the warnings in my mind. She moved closer to me, pushing me backwards on the couch until I was reclined back as she sat in my lap, straddling my thighs.

"Kaoru…" I managed to whisper looking up at her. It hurt to just look at her and the fact that she was pressed down so perfectly on the bulge in my pants didn't help either.

Without a response to me, she brought her head down towards mine and closed the gap between our lips again. I felt her grind against me and I thought I would loose all good sense at the sensation of her rubbing herself against my hardening length. My hands went to her hair, burying them in it in order to push her lips harshly against mine deepening the kiss.

Her hips swayed again and she grinded against me. I could feel her getting wet, almost smell her musk and the tightening in my pants only got more painful. She feverishly undid the buttons of my shirt and began to kiss and suck the exposed flesh.

By now my hands had made their way under her dress where the glided them up and down her thighs. I guided her hips to grind her back and forth against me. I wanted to show her, make her feel exactly what she was doing to me.

"Ah…" I heard her moan as she broke our kiss and threw her head back. "K-Kenshin…"

She half whispered, half moaned my name and I wanted to hear her say it over and over. I wanted to hear her scream it.

I grabbed her and stood up holding her in my arms. Her legs were wrapped around me, her arms around my neck and shoulders. I started to move from the living room and towards my bedroom.

It would've been smart to keep my eyes open, but I was preoccupied by the sexy little nymph attached to my groin pushing her tongue down my throat. So I underestimated the doorway to my room, assuming since the door was always open I'd just kick the door ajar as we walked through. Instead, I drove her back into the wall missing the door by a few inches.

She let out a groan in response to the sudden contact.

"Fuck," I cursed and looked at her pressed between me and the wall, her long legs still wrapped around me, the slit of her dress allowing the creaminess to her thighs to be exposed to me.

I started to apologize but before I could even scan her features for any signs of pain she grabbed either side of my head and brought my mouth crashing over hers again.

Her tongue dove harshly into my mouth; warm, velvety and slick. It tickled my lips, and flickered over the edges of my teeth. She kissed me deeply and I was all too happy to return the pleasure as I continued to hold her tightly between my body and the wall.

She broke the kiss just in time to move to my jaw and down the side of my throat. I stood there letting her move her hot little mouth over whatever part of my flesh she fancied. Her legs tightened around me and I could feel the urgency throbbing through my body with every second of pleasurable havoc.

The way she was kissing me, holding me, pressing her body into mine and demanding me to press back. But still a slight bit of hesitation remained in the back of my mind. A goddamned whinny little voice of reason trying to convince me to stop myself.

She clutched onto my shirt and continued to sweep that snake like tongue of hers everywhere she could possibly reach.

"_This isn't right" _something kept repeating in my head. _"I need to stop…"_

Her damn tongue found the inside of my mouth again and silenced any protests I could voice even before I had the chance. I wanted to find out what other tricks her tongue was capable of and immediately cursed myself over the thoughts.

She must've noticed the lights were off upstairs since she paused her assault momentarily.

"Kenshin," she whispered; her lips hovering over mine, her breath hitting my face and inviting me to continue. I could feel the rise and fall of her chest heaving against mine as she stared at me.

"_Tell her to stop this…just end it," _I kept telling myself. A lot easier said than done.

I looked into her deep blue eyes; they're so big and beautiful and held an innocence I couldn't bare to crush. She had absolutely no future with me and I couldn't just let her become so involved. In her heart of hearts she probably felt that we'd go on after this, but how could we? After this case she'd go back to her gilded life and I would continue on with-

With what? I wasn't sure of the answer to that one, but it didn't entail a smart, beautiful 22 year old young woman getting involved with a nearly 30 year old, foul-mouthed ex-cop turned PI.

"Kenshin?"

I snapped from my thoughts and was suddenly looking into those intoxicating blue eyes again. Her full rosy lips seemed so inviting and delicious. My resolve began to weaken slightly again and I decided to say something before it broke completely.

"Kaoru we shouldn't," I managed to whisper.

She looked at me for a moment and I wanted to smack myself for the barely believable line I'd just given her. My voice was hardly the example of stern and seriousness that I had imagined in my mind.

"_Kaoru we shouldn't?" _I screamed at myself, _"You god damned sissy! Just tell her no damnit! You've done it before."_

I felt her hand against brush my cheek and she had my attention once more. There was no escaping that look she gave me.

"Kenshin I'm not some little kid you know," she practically breathed against my lips and planted a sweet kiss there.

I was quickly loosing ground.

"Kaoru," I managed to hold my own, "it's more than that-"

She silenced me with another kiss, "I don't care who you are…" she paused and kissed me again, "what you are…" another kiss, "how old you are…" and yet another, "I just want you."

I was speechless to say the least. My voice dried up in my throat.

Only my problem was that I'd _always_ made myself emotion/relationship-free. I never thought I'd feel this way about anyone else.

"_WAIT, WAIT, WAIT! Feel this way? What way? What do I feel? SHIT! NO! NO! NO! That's completely ridiculous and just plain-"_

"Kenshin?"

I looked up once more and felt myself drowning in the depths of her eyes staring back at me.

"_Damnit all to hell!" _

"_Including myself for what I'm about to do."_

It was about all I could take so I promptly shut down my mind and closed my lips over her mouth. All this crap about guessing and second guessing and then second guessing my second guessing was driving me insane. I let my body follow its own lead and was content to drown out the drabble in my mind.

She seemed to be fine with it, well, more than fine because she promptly went back to twisting her tongue around mine. We were hungry for each other, greedy for each other's touch and nothing short of primal in our needs. I scooped her back up, her legs wrapped around me once more and our mouths never parted.

Seconds later we both crashed down on the mattress; her legs brushing against my sides as I hovered over her form, the springs of the old furniture squeaked under our bodies. The wiry headboard thumped against the wall from the energy of our collision with the bed. Maybe I should've been worried about neighbors hearing, but that was the last thing on my mind for the moment.

The urgency with which she was kissing me was fueling my own desires for her. She practically tore my shirt from my shoulders and discarded it. Her warm hands roamed all over my torso, down my back; her nails grazing heated trails across my skin.

My mind was still in a hazy battle between yes and no, but my hands seemed to have their own intentions. I undid the buckles of her wrap dress and she elevated her back high enough for me to free her of the fabric.

I looked down and could only think of three words over in my head from that point on, _"Black lace thong."_

I had to stifle a groan at just the sight of her laying there under me; her raven hair caressing creamy soft full breasts, her slender stomach rising and falling with each breath, and the strings of her thong darting across her hips.

She went to the buckle of my pants and then the zipper, pulling them and my boxers off. Her hands pressed down on my back and she pulled me closer to her nearly naked form.

My lips found the soft mounds of her chest and my fingers rubbed her wetness from over the feeble fabric of the lace. She arched her back in the sensation and let out a moan. I continued to toy with her for a bit, trying to savor every second of her writhing under my touch.

"Kenshin" I heard her moan. How sweet the name sounded dropping from her sugary lips in that husky tone.

I didn't let up and nibbled slightly on the hard nub between my teeth. My fingers kept floating from over and under the fabric, toying with her folds.

"Kenshin…" I didn't miss the urgency and need in the tone of her voice.

I raised my head from her chest to look down, she look backed up at me. Her face was flush, her eyes pleading with me.

"Please…"

My head was spinning with the simple request; the way she moaned it, breathless; so full of emotion. It swelled my ego along with everything else that could possibly get larger.

My hands toyed with the elastic strings of the fabric, moving it up and down her hips, our mouths were still connected, our tongues flexing around each others.

"Ah" she moaned.

I bent down towards her and barely caressed my lips with hers. "Tell me again."

The words seemed to escape before I could even grasp what I was saying. I wondered where I picked up the bad habit of talking dirty and that's when my mind went back to that comment about the Iceman talking dirty-

"_Crap, what the hell am I thinking about?"_ I reprimanded myself. _"Dumbass Aoshi…"_

"Kenshin," she complied with my request and brought me back to what was important. I looked into her eyes and she saw the way she toyed with the words on her lips before letting me hear them, "please."

Her moaning was driving me insane with pleasure, and I wanted more. I'd never really engaged in much foreplay before, but this felt unbelievably good. I grazed my tongue down her throat and played with her breasts, but I still didn't enter her. My body was growing frantic for her but I needed to hear her again.

"Beg for it," I whispered in her ear before licking and nipping at it. I purposely pushed my groin grinding against her.

She threw her head back and gasped at the sensation. I was tantalized with every inch of her; every moan; every sound; every sensation.

With her eyes still closed and her hands trailing up and down my arms and shoulders, she managed to whisper back to me.

"Please Kenshin," she pronounced each word with delicacy and urgency. And she didn't stop there much to my delight, "I need you."

I pushed my lips onto hers for a hard kiss and thrust a finger inside her before another coherent thought could form. Her pelvis arched and swayed with the motion of my hand and she nibbled on my bottom lip demanding a taste.

My mind raced with everything I wanted to do to her at that point. I felt her grow wetter at the ministrations of my fingers and she bucked as I sped up the pace. Her lips found my ear, which she lavished with her tongue. For the first time I actually shuddered from someone else's kiss. She probably caught wind of my sudden reaction to her mouth and didn't stop.

"Kenshin," she breathed in my ear; her tongue and breath tickled the wet skin. Her teeth grazed the lob before she continued, "I want you Kenshin."

It took every once of control for me not to moan in response to her. Men are typically silent during this; we leave the moaning and screaming to women. But she seemed to be determined to get a reaction out of me; break me somehow.

Her tongue trailed away from my ear and down my neck until she reached my shoulder and I felt her teeth grazing the skin there. I never realized how hyper-sensitive that patch of skin was until she was thrashing it with little bites and kisses.

She moved back up my neck and was breathing my name in my ear once more. She'd managed to turn the game around on me and seemed to be enjoying my breathless reactions.

"Kenshin."

Something inside automatically answered her. "Kaoru…" I muttered before being able to stop myself.

"Mmmh" she moaned.

"Please Kenshin," she whispered purposely whining and whimpering, "fuck me."

Just when I thought I'd finally gained some ground in this game of torture, she pulled the rug from under my feet. I was sure my eyes rolled back in my head at the sound of her words.

I wasn't the one to deny a woman and like a dog on a leash, I obeyed her. Within seconds her panties came wriggling from her hips and I placed myself over her form. Her breathing was rapid as she prepared to accept me and I couldn't help but dip down and capture her swollen lips as I entered her.

As if a bolt of electricity raced through both our bodies, we began to move and writhe in a rhythmic motion. Her hands pressed my head allowing further access to the warm mounds of her chest.

I was probably being harsher than I should've been with such a delicate creature, but I couldn't help myself. I sucked the tender skin around her nipple and followed it with a thorough thrashing with my tongue. My teeth nipped and broke fragile capillaries forming bright red and purplish marks on both breasts and every inch of skin in between.

She kept moaning and I kept moving in and out of her. The bed frame rocked with each gyration repeatedly knocking the metal into the wall. I moved to her mouth and forced my tongue inside her once more, greedily lapping up the sweet taste. Gripping either wrist I held her arms down over her head and pressed down using it as leverage while intensifying my thrusts.

Her body wrapped all around me and I was frantic to feel her even more. She fit all around me; hot, tight, smooth and perfect. But that only drove me to crave her with more ferocity so I smashed into her harder and harder each time.

My brain was a swirl of colors and sensations, all centered solely on her. I could make out her moans of passion and pleads for me to go faster, harder, deeper. There was nothing more to do than oblige and push my body as far as I could.

I faintly made out a few moans of my name coming from her and each time it'd make me push myself closer to the edge.

Our mouths met once more as I lowered down and allowed myself to experience her at a slightly different angle. She gasped slightly from the sudden sensation and I felt her grow even wetter.

She kissed me back just as deep, raking her slender fingers along my scalp, sending all sorts of shivers down my spine, "You're so hard."

Her voice was husky, silky and filled with passion.

"Shit," I wasn't sure if I mumbled out loud or not but it didn't matter.

The sounds of skin slapping together, the metal headboard thudding against the wall, the springs of the old mattress squeaking and then of course there it was again. Her moans and cries of passion.

"Yes Kenshin," she breathed into my ears sending chills down my spine. She moaned a final time, and afterwards her body tensed as a sudden wave of warmth swept over me.

I released milliseconds later and we were thoroughly covered in our own sweat and juices as we huffed for air.

I looked down to see her laying in bed looking up at me still panting for breath. I bent down to move her sweat-slicked hair from her face and placed a lingering kiss on her swollen lips.

"Kenshin, I-"

"Sleep now," I interrupted her and promptly turned to her side so her back fit perfectly against my chest. My arms were wrapped around her, holding her firmly in place and shielding her from whatever I was afraid would take her away from me.

I pressed her body tightly against me and kissed the back of her neck inhaling her scent several times. Finally sleep and fatigue took us both over and we surrendered to it completely for what was left of the night.

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**Hopefully that was worth the wait. Only your reviews will let me know.**

**Special thanks to **Kano Mayotteru Hoshi and Antica

**Dee. (Happy Holidays Everyone and a Wonderful New Year)**


	14. Waking Up Beside You

Chapter 14

**Waking Up Beside You**

I awoke to a dark soft blanket of hair strewn across my face. Instead of the usual rushing out of bed to attack the day, I decided to lie still just a little longer and take in the scent.

It was soft and refreshing; her form was warm as she pressed up against my chest; her breath slow and steady signalling she was still fast asleep. I replayed the events of our night together over and over in my head.

The repercussions would be major and severe but at the same time I felt as if I could take them all on. She snuggled into my chest and I felt her long lashes flutter against my bare skin.

"You're awake."

Her arms wrapped around me as if to make sure I wouldn't leave and she sighed heavily, "Mhhmm."

My hands cradled her head and back as I held her against me, afraid that the new day would steal her away; that the previous night would be forgotten.

I had to get a hold of myself. What was wrong with me after all? Why was I feeling this way? I was desperate, confused and in need of her to hang on to me; in need of hanging on to her.

I felt her lips against my chest and the small voice inside my head telling me this was _still _wrong and it would _never_ work out was squashed again as I closed my eyes.

"I don't think I've ever done any of this before," I heard her say softly against my skin.

Her lips gently kissed a trail up my chest and towards my neck and every now and then there was a nipping from her teeth. The fire trail on my skin soon ended at my mouth were she hovered for a few seconds before kissing my bottom lip and her whispered words echoed once more in my head.

My eyes opened to her nude form over me, kissing my face, her hands conforming to skin and I stilled her by holding both her arms.

"Was that," I hesitated for a second almost afraid of what I was about to say and even more scared of what her answer would be, "your first time?"

She looked at me quizzically at first and then I saw the merriment slowly fill her eyes. She laughed and looked at me tenderly.

"Kenshin," her hand grazed my cheek and she smiled softly, "I don't think I've known anyone to be that bold for their first time."

With that she giggled and I released her from my grip. She lay down on top of me and I could feel her warm skin against mine once more.

"_So it wasn't her first time" _I repeated to myself. I felt relief and at the same time a streak of jealousy at the answer. A plethora of the obvious questions crossed my mind. I wanted to ask, but I know how it would sound coming out of my mouth. But still the questions persisted.

"You're not happy with that answer?" I heard her say.

I was staring up at the ceiling lost in my own thoughts as she lay on me; her head cradled on my chest, her fingers toying with my hair.

"_What to say to that?" _I thought. Of course my male ego selfishly wished I was her first, only and last at this point. But that wasn't fair to her or conducive to the times we lived in.

"_She's a 22 year old college student with plenty of money and friends, what the fuck was I thinking that she wouldn't have had slept with some flashy monkey in a suit-" _my vile thoughts bubbled away.

"Kenshin?" she repeated softly and looked up at me.

"Hm?" I simply replied not knowing what else to say or do.

She looked at me knowingly, "Does it bother you that much?"

There was no way around it. I had to talk to her.

"It's not that it bothers me," I start decided to be a bit braver and look at her squarely in the eyes, "it's just something I need to work out on my own. What does bother me is what'll happen if someone were to find out about this."

"You don't have to worry-" she started encouragingly.

"I'm not worried about myself Kaoru. I'm worried about you. Your parents, your friends, your society," I replied softly.

What place would we find in the world together I wondered? I had never considered a future beyond what I was already living. She has so much more potential though, what could I ever give to her?

"_Feh, that's considering IF she even wants a relationship out of this," _I bit back.

It was right though; how could I be sure that this was nothing more than a passing moment for her? The thought wasn't a negative insinuation of her character, but a reality that I needed to face. I was stuck in my own daydreams about her without knowing what she felt.

"Well I'm not worried about anything because none of that matters," she replied, quieting my fears and thoughts.

Her head fell once more and she touched her lips to mine, "I don't care about that sort of stuff, how many different ways can I tell you that?"

I kissed her passionately at that moment. It wasn't full of lust like last night, but even more intimate than that. I wanted to drink in her optimism and make it a part of me. She was so hopeful, such a breath of fresh air and yet completely ignorant to the inevitable truth we had to face.

I hated myself at this point for allowing this-whatever _this_ was-to happen. After 35 long years of existence, most spent in solitude, it seemed I had fallen in love.

"Good lord," I whispered not intending for her to hear.

"What?" she looked up at me. "What's wrong?"

I looked at her for a moment and pulled her into my arms. Kenshin Himura, the no-nonsense, cut-throat detective was nothing more than a kitten in his arms at the moment. I was slightly perplexed by my feelings, but was overwhelmed with the urgency to keep her close to me.

She didn't ask again; in fact she didn't say anything as we lay there for a little while longer. I didn't know what was about to happen, but I wanted to extend this time together as much as I could.

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"_Do you think she'll come?" the man dressed in dark attire asked._

"_She will," was the simple response._

"_How can you be so sure?" he asked._

"_I know her better than anyone else."_

"_And that PI that's always with her?"_

"_She'll bring him too. I'm sure of it. They've been spending enough time together."_

"_If this doesn't work-"_

"_There's no option for failure," was a stern reply. "We can not and will not fail."_

"_When you get cocky, you get messy," the gruff voice warned._

_His response was met with silence as the other body had already exited the room._

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The phone rang at police headquarters, "Saitou here."

The gruff-looking man reclined back in his chair as he listened intently to the voice on the other end.

"Are you sure of all this?" he asked solemnly.

The person on the other end only confirmed what he already suspected.

"Dammit," he cursed under his breath, "stay under for a while longer. I'll contact you again myself."

After returning the receiver to its base he looked intently at the files on the desk. Each name represented a key player in the puzzle, and slowly he would fit all the pieces together to discover just what was going on. In fact in his cunning mind, the pieces were already starting to fit. It was only a matter of time.

He focused on one name before him, "Himura, Kenshin," he mumbled.

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I sat at my ratty old desk while waiting on her to emerge from the shower. She'd insisted on showering first and then doing anything else as I was more focused on getting ready for tonight.

Methodically I cleaned my semi-automatic and ensured I had enough ammunition for it.

If in the morning my mind was racing with worries over what had happened between us the previous night, the afternoon brought worries of what was to come tonight.

I had tried my best to keep her from going, but in the end we both knew she was the key.

"_Her sister," _my thoughts trailed again to the woman everyone thought was dead.

She could still be dead for all anyone knew; and this could all just be rouse to bring Kaoru to them.

I wouldn't let that happen.

Slowly my mind began to focus on the pieces of the case; sister's disappearance, the burnt and discarded body, the attack on Kaoru, the investigation into her family, and now this letter and meeting. It all had to fit together somehow.

The pieces had been strewn in front of us all this whole time, but we just needed to figure out how to thread it all together.

Different scenarios played out in my mind simultaneously as I tried to figure out a motive, an opportunity and anything that might have been overlooked.

Could've it been a disgruntled ex-boyfriend or lover? A stalker? A family member? Her own parents? If it weren't for the delicate care I had to show my weapon, I'd be throwing a chair across the room in frustration.

My thoughts were broken at the blaring sound of my cell phone going off in the quiet room.

I put down my gun, ensuring the safety was on and picked up the phone.

"Shit," I whispered as I saw the caller ID.

"Who is it?"

I looked up to see Kaoru in nothing more than one of my t shirts standing the doorway looking back at me. Her hair was dripping wet, which caused the shirt to become dark with dampness. The edge of the shirt skimmed above her thighs.

She sauntered over to me; her long legs taking elegant strides across the small room. I couldn't help but hold my breath and look at her.

As she stood in front of me, she bent down to face me; her wet raven hair cascading around her fresh face like tendrils.

"Saitou," I managed to answer.

"He's Detective Sano's supervisor isn't he?" she asked with a curious look.

"Yeah," I replied looking at the phone again. He was persistent, but another few rings and it was going to voicemail.

I thought about whether or not to answer and tell him the situation.

Before I could make any decision, she gently took the phone from my hand and placed it on the desk out of my reach.

"We can't get them involved Kenshin," she looked back at me pleadingly. "If Tomoe is alive, I don't want to risk loosing her again."

I was surrounded by her fresh scent as she caressed the side of my face and placed herself in my lap. Her lips followed the trail of her fingers and I could feel myself lost once again at her charms.

She kissed along my jaw, nipped at my lips and travelled down my throat. Her hands weren't idle, as they attacked my shirt buttons and proceeded to smooth the skin they uncovered.

"I won't risk loosing anyone I love again," she whispered between kisses.

She stopped for a moment and looked me; her face was so close to mine I could just taste her lips again, "And that includes you," she finished.

I held the side of her face for a moment, focusing on how perfect she was and how marred I was. It broke my heart at first, but her words invigorated me. Maybe I did have another chance. Maybe.

"I won't let anything happen to Kaoru," I replied.

She fell against my chest and hugged me tight. We continued to hold each other that way; both our hearts filled with fear over what would happen next.

The room was silent and I was content to listen to just our heart beats, her whispers and nothing more.

I held her against me, held on for dear life.

"I love you Kenshin."

Silence pervaded as my heart raced to a frantic pace and slowed once again.

"I love you too."

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**Hey,**

**It's been a long time, I know. Forgive me! I needed some inspiration to continue on with this fic and found it finally in a short story I'd always loved but hadn't read in quite some time. **

**Thanks to **Kano Mayotteru Hoshi and Antica **as well!**

**I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays and New Years and you are all sticking your resolutions. I think I broke a half dozen or so after I went shopping yesterday. )**

**Well it's beginning to look like the end for this fic.**

**Special thanks, hugs and kisses to everyone out there that's read it, enjoyed and especially those that reviewed. **

**Happy Valentines Day! **

**dee**


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